The Belmont Abbey men's basketball team erased a 40-27 halftime deficit by outscoring Mount Olive 47-39 in the second half, but the Trojans connected on seven of eight free throws in the final minute to pull out a 79-74 win this evening at Kornegay Arena. Mount Olive improves to 7-8 overall and 4-5 in Conference Carolinas, while the Abbey, which has its two game winning streak snapped, drops to 12-6 overall and 5-5 in Conference Carolinas.

Belmont Abbey, which trailed by 16 points with 2:08 left in the first half, scored five of the last seven points of the stanza, capped off by a Jay Council three pointer with four seconds left, to shave its deficit to 13 at 40-27 at the break.

After shooting just 42 percent in the first half, the Crusaders shot a torrid 62 percent in the second half, converting 18 of its 29 shots as it scored 47 points. Tyshawn Good had eight points in the first half, but totaled 16 in the second to give him a game-high 24 for the night.

Trailing 43-35 with 12:55 to play, the Abbey embarked on a 10-2 run over the next three minutes to knot the game at 55. The Abbey received jumpers from Darryl Durham, Good and two from Justin Kuhlman-the last of which tied the game at 55- and free throws from Good and Sheffey.

After Kuhlman's jumper tied the game for the third time, Kendall Hargrove put the Trojans ahead for good with a traditional three-point play with 8:53 to play. 13 seconds later, Chris Davis countered with a jumper to slice the deficit to one, but Mount Olive scored the next four points to stretch its advantage to five with 7:24 to play.

Mount Olive's lead would rise to seven at 66-59 with 5:18 to go, but the Abbey would not quit. Durham scored the next four points, two on a thunderous dunk and after he blocked a Dory Hines shot and grabbed the rebound on the Trojans next possession, he sank two free throws on the next trip to cut the margin to three with 3:55 to go.

Mount Olive hit the first of two free throws on its next trip to move the lead to four, but Durham struck again, sinking a layup at the 3:12 mark to close the gap to a pair.

The Trojans again had an answer, scoring the next three points to give them a five point edge at 70-65 with 2:04 to go. 19 seconds later, Sheffey took over the game, as he sank two free throws, the start of a spurt where he would score the last nine Crusaders points in the last 1:45. His two conversions from the line shrunk the margin to three, but Mount Olive sank a layup on its next trip to quickly move it back to five.

Sheffey struck again at the 1:12 mark, netting a jumper to close it back to three. An Abbey foul on Mount Olive's next possession turned into free throws for the Trojans, where they sank one of two free throws to widen the gap to four at 73-69 with 48 seconds left.

The Abbey called a timeout, and after the break, Sheffey cut the lead to a pair with a running layup with 23 seconds left. Sheffey then fouled Dontrell Brite on the next Trojans possession, and his two free throws at the 21 second mark moved the lead to three.

Once again, Sheffey had an answer, draining a three-pointer with ten ticks left to cut the gap to just one. The Abbey immediately called a timeout, and after the stoppage, Sheffey fouled Darrell Patterson, who drained both of his free throws to make it a three-point game.

Good missed a three-pointer on the other end, which the Trojans possessed on a team rebound. On the inbounds pass, Patterson was fouled, and his two free throws with a second left gave Mount Olive the 79-74 win.

Belmont Abbey shot 52 percent (29-55) for the game as Good's 24 points led all players. He scored 16 in the second half. He also recorded three steals. Sheffey finished with 14 points, nine in the last 1:45, to go along with five assists in 34 minutes. Davis added 18 points on eight of ten shooting with five rebounds, and Durham netted 10 on a perfect shooting night, sinking all four of his field goals and both of his free throws. He also had seven rebounds and two blocked shots.

Hargrove led the Trojans with 21 points on eight of nine shooting. Mount Olive shot 44 percent (28-63) for the game.