NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — Belmont stormed back from a 13-point halftime deficit to defeat Illinois-Chicago 87-84 in a Missouri Valley Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at Curb Events Center. The Bruins, trailing 43-30 at halftime, outscored the Flames 57-41 after intermission to secure the win before a crowd of 1,428. Josiah Hammons led all scorers with 31 points for Illinois-Chicago. Andy Johnson added 17 points for the Flames. Nic McClain paced Belmont with 17 points and seven assists, while Tyler Lundblade and Sam Orme added 17 and 16 points, respectively. The victory improved Belmont to 10-1 overall, while Illinois-Chicago fell to 4-6.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — In a game defined by a staggering second-half reversal, the Belmont Bruins overcame a 13-point halftime deficit to edge the Illinois-Chicago Flames 87-84 in a non-conference men’s basketball thriller Saturday afternoon at Curb Events Center. The contest, organized by the Missouri Valley Conference, saw the host Bruins improve to 10-1 while the Flames fell to 4-6. The most important part of the game was unquestionably Belmont’s explosive offensive performance after the break. After a sluggish first half in which they managed only 30 points on 10-of-28 shooting and trailed 43-30, the Bruins erupted for 57 points in the second half. They shot a blistering 19 of 22 from the floor, including 8 of 12 from three-point range, to complete the comeback in front of 1,428 fans. The Flames, who led by as many as 16 points in the first half, could not sustain their early momentum against Belmont’s relentless efficiency. The Bruins scored 87 points on just 64 possessions, an offensive rating of 135.0, while the Flames posted a strong 126.9 rating on their 66 possessions but could not keep pace in the final 20 minutes. Illinois-Chicago was led by a spectacular scoring outburst from guard Josiah Hammons. The Chicago native came off the bench to pour in 31 points in just 25 minutes, shooting 9 of 17 from the field and 7 of 13 from beyond the arc. He single-handedly kept the Flames in contention late, hitting a deep three-pointer with eight seconds remaining to cut Belmont’s lead to 85-84. Andy Johnson added 17 points and five assists for the Flames, while Rashund Washington contributed 11 points. The Flames shot 44.6% from the field and a perfect 13 for 13 from the free-throw line but were ultimately undone by Belmont’s superior shooting (58.0% overall) and a 32-28 disadvantage in points in the paint. Belmont’s victory was a balanced effort, spearheaded by guard Nic McClain. The Jennings, Florida, product orchestrated the offense with 17 points and a game-high seven assists. Forward Sam Orme provided 16 points, and Drew Scharnowski added 12 points, four assists and two blocks. Tyler Lundblade matched McClain’s 17 points, including several critical second-half threes, and reserve Jack Smiley chipped in 11 key points. The Bruins, who entered as a 13.5-point favorite according to sportsbooks, also benefited from a significant advantage in ball security. They committed only eight turnovers, leading to just 10 points for UIC, while the Flames’ 13 turnovers resulted in 19 points for Belmont. After a first half controlled by UIC’s Hammons and defensive energy, the game turned decisively in the opening minutes of the second period. Belmont opened the half on a 14-4 run to quickly erase the deficit, fueled by inside scores from Scharnowski and Orme and a three-pointer from Lundblade. The Bruins never trailed after McClain’s driving layup gave them a 44-43 lead with 15:42 to play, though the Flames fought back to tie the game on multiple occasions. The final sequence encapsulated the night’s drama. After Hammons’ late three brought UIC within one, Belmont’s Lundblade was fouled and calmly sank two free throws with eight seconds left to extend the lead to 87-84. The Flames had one final chance, but Hammons’ contested, game-tying three-point attempt from the top of the key as time expired missed off the rim. The total score of 171 points sailed over the sportsbook over/under line of 153.5. National Statistical’s ELO system had given Belmont a 90.2% probability to win pregame. Illinois-Chicago returns to action Wednesday at home against Northern Iowa. Belmont travels to face Evansville on Tuesday.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — A surging Belmont squad aims to continue its dominant start when it hosts a struggling Illinois-Chicago team in a nonconference men’s basketball game Saturday at Curb Events Center. The Bruins (9-1) have won nine of their first 10 games, including an 83-62 road victory over Middle Tennessee last Sunday. Their lone blemish is a 76-84 home loss to Richmond on Dec. 3. Belmont has showcased a high-powered offense, scoring 83 or more points in seven games this season. Guard Nic McClain has been instrumental, averaging 13.4 points and 6.6 assists per game. He is coming off a 20-point, 4-rebound, 4-assist performance against Middle Tennessee and nearly recorded a triple-double with 12 points, 9 rebounds and 11 assists in a win at College of Charleston on Nov. 30. The Illinois-Chicago Flames (4-5) have lost three straight, most recently falling 66-80 at Yale on Dec. 7. They have struggled to find consistency, with their four wins coming against Detroit, St. Francis (Pa.), Chicago State and Southern Indiana. UIC will rely on guard Andy Johnson, who leads the team in scoring at 14.6 points per game. Johnson scored 15 points with 4 rebounds and 3 assists in the loss to Yale and had an 18-point outing at Robert Morris on Nov. 26. This matchup, organized by the Missouri Valley Conference, is a final nonconference tune-up before both teams dive into league play in January. Belmont begins a three-game road trip after this contest, while UIC returns home to face Northern Iowa on Dec. 17. Tipoff is set for Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in Nashville.