EKU men upset Belmont, complete run to title

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Corey Walden scored 22 of his career-high 29 points in the second half to help Eastern Kentucky upset top-seeded Belmont 79-73 Saturday night for the Ohio Valley Conference tournament championship and an NCAA tournament berth.

The Colonels (24-9) won their seventh straight game in clinching their first OVC tournament title since 2007 and their eighth trip to the NCAAs overall.

Glenn Cosey added 23 points for Eastern Kentucky. Tarius Johnson had 15 before fouling out.

Belmont (24-9) missed out on adding its second consecutive tournament title, and the Bruins will miss the NCAA tournament for just the third time in the past nine years and first since 2010.

J.J. Mann, the OVC player of the year, led Belmont with 18 points. Evan Bradds and Drew Windler each added 14, and Reece Chamberlin had 11.

Eastern Kentucky never trailed, and Belmont tied it up only twice with the last time at 54-54. The Colonels scored the next eight points and finished the game hitting 9 of 10 at the free throw line in the final 1:16.

Belmont had cruised through a season in which the Bruins won at North Carolina in November and went 14-2 in league play. Belmont came into the final having won seven straight and 12 of its last 13.

SEMIFINALS

Belmont 86, Morehead St. 63

J.J. Mann had 16 points with 4-of-6 shooting from 3-point range Friday night to lead top-seeded Belmont to a blowout of No. 4 seed Morehead State.

Belmont (24-8) was 11 of 24 from 3-point range to advance to the Ohio Valley Conference tournament championship for the second year in a row.

The Bruins led 35-25 at halftime and Morehead State (20-13) never got any closer.

E. Kentucky 86, Murray State 83

Corey Walden scored 5 of his 24 points down the stretch as No. 3 seed Eastern Kentucky held on to defeat second-seeded Murray State.

Orlando Williams scored to give EKU a 66-55 lead with 10:18 remaining before T.J. Sapp hit a 3-pointer for Murray State to tie it at 79-79 with 1:33 left. Walden answered with five straight points and Glenn Cosey made two of four free throw attempts to make it 86-83 with 18 seconds left.

Murray State's Jeffery Moss and Cameron Payne each missed 3-pointers to end the game.

-- From wire reports