Nov. 11, 2007

Box Score

CINCINNATI (AP) -Andy Wicke's 3-pointer gave Belmont the lead for good in the fourth quarter as the Bruins came back after blowing a 17-point first half lead to beat Western Carolina 79-70 on Sunday.

Western Carolina (1-2) went up by five with 8:13 left, but Belmont's Matthew Dotson sank a 3-pointer with 5:58 left and Wicke followed with his go-ahead shot a half-minute later.

Justin Hare made 7-of-8 free throws in the final minute as Belmont (2-1) pulled away. Dotson led the Bruins with 17 points, while Wicke added 15 - seven in the last six minutes - and Hare finished with 13.

Western Carolina's Nick Aldridge led both teams with 20 points, 16 in the first half. Mike Porrini had 18 points and Jake Robinson 11 for the Catamounts.

The game was the fifth of the inaugural Peggy Cronin Classic, a three-day, six-game tournament honoring the deceased mother of second-year Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin. The four-team round-robin event was to conclude later Sunday with Bowling Green taking on Cincinnati.