The Belmont Bruins secured a hard-fought 84-79 victory over the Indiana State Sycamores in a Missouri Valley Conference matchup on Saturday. The Sycamores, who dropped to 9-8 overall and 3-3 in conference play, battled back from early deficits but couldn’t overcome the Bruins’ consistent offensive attack. Belmont improved to 12-5 on the season and 4-2 in the MVC.
Both teams struggled to score early, but Belmont found their rhythm first, using a 10-3 run to establish a lead they held for most of the game. The Sycamores showed resilience throughout, fueled by a standout performance from Jaden Daughtry, who led all scorers with 23 points on an impressive 10-for-11 shooting.
Belmont capitalized on efficient three-point shooting in the first half, building a 42-32 lead at the break. Indiana State clawed their way back into the game in the second half with a 12-0 run midway through the period. Daughtry, along with Samage Teel, who contributed 20 points and six assists, kept the Sycamores within striking distance.
Aaron Gray’s double-double performance—11 points and 10 rebounds—helped Indiana State momentarily grab a 63-62 lead with under eight minutes to play. However, Belmont responded with clutch shooting down the stretch, including a decisive dunk in the final minute to secure the win.
The Sycamores shot 50% from the field in the second half but couldn’t overcome their struggles from beyond the arc, finishing just 27% from three-point range. Belmont’s balanced scoring and timely defense sealed the victory in a game where Indiana State led for only 1:19.
Despite the loss, the Sycamores demonstrated tenacity, with their bench contributing over half the team’s points. As the season progresses, Indiana State aims to turn close contests like this one into wins in their competitive conference slate.
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