NASHVILLE – After Zaxton King's tip-in with 6:59 to play drew visiting Missouri State within 67-65, Belmont ended the game on an 18-3 surge, including four three-pointers, in an 85-68 MVC battle here Saturday.

The Bears (8-17, 1-13 MVC) shot 56.9 percent from the field and snagged 9 steals, with Jalen Hampton pouring in a season-high 20 points on 9-of-9 field goals.

Dez White (14) and Vincent Brady II (13) also scored in double-figures for the Bears who also owned a 29-19 rebounding advantage, which limited Belmont to just two second-chance points on the evening.

King's bucket with just under seven minutes to play capped a 7-0 run by MoState before Brody Peeples buried a three for the home club to stretch its lead to five. The Bruins (17-8, 9-5 MVC) would then reel off 10 unanswered points to end a 13-0 push and lead 80-65 with just over two minutes to go. 

Tyler Lundblade's ninth 3-pointer of the game with 5:56 to play tied an MSU opponent record, also shared by Wichita State's Jason Perez in 2000 and Bradley's Duke Deen in 2024. Lundblade finished with a game-high 27 points on 9-of-15 from beyond the arc and helped BU finish 16-of-27 from beyond the arc, the most against the Bears this season. 

Belmont had five players in double-figures overall, including 18 by Isaiah Walker, 13 from big man Brigham Rogers and 11 each by Peebles and Aidan Noyes.

The Bears finished 29-of-51 from the field, 5-of-16 (.313) from beyond the arc and 5-of-10 (.500) at the foul line with 20 turnovers.

Belmont was 34-of-58 (.586) overall but only took two free throw attempts in the game, making one. The Bruins also dished out 30 assists, including 15 by Carter Whitt. 

In the first half, Lundblade knocked down four threes in the span of six minutes and five total in the half to push the Bruins ahead 45-44 at the intermission. Lundblade's fourth trey of the first period sparked a 7-0 run to lead push the home club ahead 23-11 out of the gates.

White then provided a needed offensive spark, reeling off seven points in the span of just over a minute to draw the Bears within 26-22. Later, it was Hampton who ignited a 9-for-9 field goal stretch for the visitors, ultimately tying things up, 37-37 on a put-back. Hampton was 6-for-6 from the field in the first half.

Hampton later gave the Bears their biggest lead of the first half with an and-one chance with 29 seconds left. Despite missing the free throw, he gave the Bears a 44-42 advantage before Lundblade beat the buzzer with his fifth triple of the opening stanza. 

The Bears are back at Great Southern Bank Arena on Wednesday for a 7 p.m. rematch with Evansville on a night that features a highly-anticipated halftime performance from Red Panda.

Tickets for the Evansville game, and all remaining home games, are available at MissouriStateBears.com/tickets or through the Missouri State box office at Great Southern Bank Arena, (417) 836-7678, during regular box office hours.