2008 Woodie Awards
Blue Raiders lose second road game in a row
Chris Martin
Issue date: 11/29/07 Section: Sports
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However, the key-shaking could have begun at 17:54 in the first half when senior guard Justin Hare hit the first basket of the game, a three-pointer. The Blue Raiders never recovered from that three-point deficit.
"We're a poor defensive team right now," MT head coach Kermit Davis said. "It's something that we have always done well. We were just not very alert tonight."
The loss is MT's second big road defeat to an in-state opponent in as many weeks. On Nov. 20, The Blue Raiders lost 109-40 to Tennessee in Knoxville.
One big factor that contributed to the Bruins success was three-point shooting. Belmont hit eight of 20 three pointers, but it did the most damage with the trey in the first half when it hit seven of 11 long-range shots. As a result, the key and baseline opened up for the Bruins as MT tightened its perimeter defense.
"It's so hard to guard all the way out on the three-point line and stop baskets from being scored in the paint," Belmont head coach Rick Byrd said. "Whether it's back-cuts or someone posting up, If you're not making [three's] they can pack it in and none of that happens. Our three-point shooting is a big part of what we do and it always will be."
The Bruins had four players score in double figures, led by junior forward Matthew Dotson who chipped in 18 points to go along with six rebounds.
Belmont has proven this season that it can hang with big-time competition. The Bruins already have two road wins over opponents from power conferences. On Nov. 11, they beat Big East member Cincinnati 86-75 and on Nov. 19 they defeated an Alabama squad that won 20 games last season.
The Blue Raiders could have used junior guard Calvin O'Neil's defense on the outside. O'Neil was lost for the season when he injured his right knee in MT's 78-77 loss to San Jose St. on Nov. 15.
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