Box Score
ROME,Ga.-The Belhaven men's basketball team lost to Shorter University in the Southern States Athletic Conference Championship game Saturday night 89-71. Despite the loss, the Blazers on the strength of making it to the championship game, have earned an automatic bid the NAIA National Championship Tournament.

Shorter (31-2) didn't waste any time establishing a double digit lead as the Hawks raced out of the gate on a 10-0 run. Belhaven's first basket came from senior forward Brittion Smith with 16:32 to play in the half. The Blazers were then forced to play catch up the rest of the night. The Hawks then went up 20-6 on a bucket by Anthony Banks with 13:28 to go until the break. The Blazers followed by scoring seven of the next nine points to pull within nine at 22-13 at the 12:06 mark on a basket by sophomore guard Chris Cofield. Unfortunately, the Blazers could get no closer the rest of the way as the Hawks closed the half with a comfortable 52-28 lead. Shorter stayed hot in the second half and never let Belhaven within striking distance at any point in the final 20 minutes.

Belhaven (16-16) was led by senior forward Daryl Arnold with 20 points followed by Cofield with 15 points. Arnold was 8 of 17 from the field, including 4 for 5 from behind the arc, and added seven rebounds to go along with three assists. Senior guard Woodie Howard ended the game with 13 points and senior forward Brittion Smith chipped in 11 to round out the double digit scorers. Howard and Cofield were both named to the All-Tournament Team for their efforts in Belhaven's three games. Belhaven hit 42.6 percent of its field goals (26 for 61) and drilled 53.8 percent of the triple tries (7 for 13).

Shorter (31-2), ranked second in the latest NAIA Top 25 Poll, was paced by Walter Hill and Anthony Banks with 19 points apiece. C.J. Davis added 17 points and Kenny Leverette produced 12 points. Eric Nix had seven assists and as a team Shorter players dealt out 23 assists by the time the game ended. The Hawks had the rebounding edge at 34-29 and shot 57.6 percent from the field (34 for 59). Davis, Hill, and Banks were named to the All-Tournament Team with Banks also garnering the tournament MVP honors.

Belhaven will now look ahead to the NAIA National Tournament in Kansas City, MO beginning March 14th and running through the 20th. The Blazers will find out their seeding and time of the first game when the bracket is announced by the NAIA on Wednesday.