CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Belmont Abbey placed three players in double figures but a hot-start to the second half lifted Johnson C. Smith to a 81-72 victory over the Crusaders in men's college basketball action Tuesday night.
Wade Jackson led The Abbey for the third straight game with a career-high 30 points.
The Golden Bulls, playing their season opener, closed the first half on a 13-5 run, then started the second with 21 straight points in just over five minutes. The Crusaders fall to 1-2.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Jaiden Rivera topped double figures for the second straight game with 17, while Kyle Frazier added 11, his third 10+ game in as many outings.
- Jackson added seven rebounds and six assists, both team highs.
- The Crusaders made 48.0 (12 of 25) percent of their shots before intermission, but just 32.1 percent (9 of 28) after the break.
- The first half went mostly The Abbey's way as it scored 13 straight points in a span of 1:50 to turn an 8-7 lead into 21-7.
- The lead reached 19 at 33-14 with six minutes left when the Golden Bulls rallied. A 9-0 run helped them close to within 10, 41-31 at halftime.
- But the second half was all Bulls and they opened with 21 straight points in just under five minutes, extending the run over intermission to 23 points.
UP NEXT
- Belmont Abbey wraps up four straight games away from home to start the season on Saturday.
- The Crusaders travel to Raleigh to face St. Augustine's.
- It will be the second straight game against a member of the CIAA.
