JACKSON, Miss. – The Belhaven University men's basketball team lost a heartbreaker to the East Texas Baptist Tigers on Thursday evening in American Southwest Conference play, 84-83.

Jonathan Durham tied the school record for three pointers made in a single game, with seven on the night. Durham tied the school record last season with seven three-pointers made against Louisiana College on February 5, 2018.

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INSIDE THE MATCHUP

Final: ETBU 84 | Belhaven 83

Records: ETBU (12-10) | BU (8-14)

Location: Rugg Arena | Jackson, Miss.

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HOW IT HAPPENED

First Half – ETBU jumped out to an 11-3 lead before Belhaven rallied back on an 8-0 run to tie the game up at 11-11. For the next six minutes of the half, both teams exchanged leads, until the Blazers began to pull away with a slight 37-30 lead with just under four minutes remaining in the first half. Belhaven closed out the half on a strong note, leading the Tigers 43-39.

Second Half – Within forty seconds out of the break, the Tigers tied the game up at 41-41, yet once again both teams battled back and forth with multiple lead changes over the course of the half. Trailing 53-52 at the 14:50 mark, Jonathan Durham notched a three pointer to give Belhaven a 55-53 lead, one of his record tying seven three's on the night. Beginning at the 14:50 mark on the clock, Belhaven never surrendered the lead, until ETBU's Nathan Fontenot made the Tigers go ahead basket, 84-83, with 11 seconds left in the game. Down by one with with five seconds left, Kelvin Pruitt let loose a floater outside of the paint that bounced off the rim and was immediately tipped back up by Brosnan Cooks as the buzzer sounded off. Yet, in heartbreaking fashion, Cooks' tip-back rimmed in and out of the basket, as Belhaven fell to the ETBU Tigers by a final of 84-83.

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BELHAVEN'S STATS

- Jonathan Durham led all Blazers with 21 points on the night including tying the Belhaven season game record for most made three-pointers in a game with seven, a mark he tied against Louisiana College a season ago.

- Justin Jones, Rick Hodum, and Joseph Jones each finished with nine points apiece. Hodum was a perfect 3-of-3 from three point range. Joshua Roberts led Belhaven with seven assists while Brosnan Cooks had a team high six rebounds

- Kelvin Pruitt finished with 11 points from 5-of-6 shooting.

- Tommy McCoy was 3-of-5 with 10 points in the contest. 

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UP NEXT

The Blazers will play host LeTourneau this Saturday at 3:00 p.m. for Senior Day at Rugg Arena.

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