Men's Basketball Completes Comeback in Battle of the Boulevard

Photo Taken by Bree Fabbie

It seems that almost every time Belmont men’s basketball plays its heated rival Lipscomb University, the game comes down to the wire. 

But with three minutes remaining in the game, it looked as if the 151st edition of the rivalry would end in a Bisons victory. 

Allen Arena was rocking, the Bisons had a double-digit lead after a 12-0 run and the Bruins couldn’t find any rhythm on offense.  

Then something unexpected happened.  

The Bruins slowly started coming back.  

Freshman Sam Orme drilled a pair of 3-pointers. 

Graduate guard Carter Whitt worked his way into the paint, torching the Bisons in a variety of ways. 

Graduate guard Brody Peebles found his groove, nailing one of his three 3-pointers on the night to cut Lipscomb’s lead to two. 

To cap off the comeback, junior Isaiah Walker snatched an offensive rebound and finished an and-one layup to tie the game with three seconds remaining. 

When Walker –– who missed a potential game-clinching free throw in a heartbreaking loss to Furman University on Friday –– stepped up to the line, only one thing went through his mind.  

“The basketball Gods worked. They gave me a second chance,” Walker said. “I can’t let my team down this time.” 

As Walker shot his free throw, the ball hung in the air, adding to the tension in the atmosphere. 

The Belmont student section erupted after the ball went through the net as the Bruins now had a one-point lead. 

And as Lipscomb’s attempt at a last-second lob sailed out of bounds, the fans became even more unglued, knowing that the Bruins had just clawed out a win when it seemed impossible. 

Graduate forward Jonathan Pierre led the Bruins with 20 points and 10 rebounds while four other Bruins –– Orme, freshman big Drew Scharnowski, Walker and Whitt –– all finished in double figures.  

The Bruins also outrebounded the Bisons 41-27 and generated 17 second-chance points.  

For head coach Casey Alexander, who has coached in the rivalry for both Lipscomb and Belmont, the game served as a reminder that the Battle of the Boulevard rarely disappoints. 

“It’s just another classic in a long line of classics,” Alexander said. “It’s unfortunate that somebody has to lose these games.” 

Despite his team securing the win, Alexander said there is plenty his team needs to work on.  

“They outplayed us for a lot of the game. They played more in sync offensively than we did,” Alexander said. “I wanted our veteran presence to take over and execute a little better. I didn’t think we did that very well until we had no other choice.” 

But Alexander also said he is proud of how his team responded with its backs against the wall, especially after his team lost in the final seconds against Furman.  

“What a response down the stretch. I think we scored on our last seven possessions,” Alexander said. “For me to put a virtually brand-new team in a situation where it’s their first road game, that’s a tall order. It’s good for our team to come back and win one of these after Friday.” 

The Bruins look to continue their momentum on Friday when they travel to Colorado Springs, Colorado, to play Air Force.  

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This article was written by Ty Wellemeyer