BELMONT, N.C. -- Career days by three underclassmen and a late basket lifted Belmont Abbey to an 82-81 senior day victory over Mount Olive in Conference Carolinas men's basketball action Saturday afternoon. Jordan Patton's put-back layup with 2.8 seconds proved to be the difference for the Crusaders.

With the victory, The Abbey improves to 2-19 overall and 1-17 in league play, while the Trojans fall to 10-16, 8-10.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Patton scored a career-high 27 points, 11-of-17 from the field, and grabbed a career-best nine rebounds.
• Khamani Wertz added 19 points and a seven assists -- his career best in the category. He also grabbed three boards.
• Alhousseny Diallo posted his second career double-double, both in the last three games. He established a new career-with 18 points, while grabbed 12 boards. He has now reached double figures in rebounds four times in 2024-25.
• Belmont Abbey shot 52.4 percent (33 of 63) from the field overall and eight of 16 from three-point range. The shooting effort of 50 percent in both halves marked the first of the conference season.
• The Crusaders trailed by as many as 114 points midway though the first half, but closed to within six, 44-38, at the break. An 11-0 second-half turned a 57-48 deficit into a two-point lead by the 11-minute mark.
• Graduate student Jacori Owens, who is still rehabilitating a serious injury that ended his 2023-24 season, was honored in a pregame ceremony.

UP NEXT

• Belmont Abbey closes out its home schedule on Monday against Emmanuel.
• The contest was originally slated for January 11, but postponed due to snow.