Box Score JACKSON, Miss. – The Belhaven men's basketball team dropped to 4-7 on the season after falling 64-55 in overtime on Monday afternoon. In a game that featured three ties and six lead changes, the loss came at the hands of Xavier University (10-4).

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"We battled like crazy," Head Coach John Aiken said. "We scrapped and clawed and competed to get back in the game, but things just didn't go our way."

Jordan Bedford led the Blazers offense with 15 points, while fellow guard DaTodrick Pinkston followed with 12 of his own. For the visiting Gold Rush, Morris Wright contributed a game-high 20 points, while Sydney Coleman and Wesl Pluviose-Philip added 14 apiece.

Belhaven won a close battle on the glass by a total of 40-38, despite Pluviose-Philip bringing down 11 to lead all players. Bedford continued his big night by adding 10 rebounds to complete his double-double.

The home team led by as many as nine in the first half before the teams went to the locker room with a tie score 25-25 at the intermission. The second half proved eerily similar, but the Blazers did manage to take a lead with under two minutes to go in the game. Trailing 45-34 with just under nine minutes left, Belhaven went on an 20-7 run to grab a 54-52 edge. However, a late turnover proved costly, as Wright scored the bucket that would eventually send the game to overtime.

Xavier outscored Belhaven 10-1 in the overtime period, dashing the Blazers hopes of snapping a three game losing skid.

Belhaven returns to action on January 10th, when they return to Southern States Athletic Conference play against Southern Wesleyan University. Tipoff is slated for 7:30 pm.

"We've done good things all year, and emotions are high for this team," Aiken said. "This team has the pieces, so we are hoping that a new year brings a new focus and a renewed energy."