Monday, November 21, 2005

Macon, Ga. – Sophomore Justin Hare dropped a career-high 30 points in Belmont’s season-opening victory and earned Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Week honors as announced by the league office.

Hare hit 9-of-10 shots from the floor including a perfect 4-of-4 from beyond the three-point line to help the Bruins rally from a seven-point halftime deficit to defeat Wright State at the Curb Event Center on Saturday night. The guard scored six points during an 8-0 run early in the second half that gave Belmont the lead for good. The Cleveland, Tenn., native scored 23 points during the second half comeback on his way to the first 30-point effort of his career.

Hare, the league’s reigning Freshman of the Year, now owns four A-Sun Player of the Week awards in his brief career. Centenary’s Willie Jackson (1980-84) holds the conference record with eight weekly awards during his four-year career. He also added 8-of-9 shooting from the foul line and four rebounds in 29 minutes of action.

Hare majors in Exercise Science. Belmont returns to the court on Tuesday night when they travel to defending Southern Conference Tournament champion Chattanooga.

The Atlantic Sun Conference hands out Player of the Week awards weekly during the 2005 soccer campaign.

The 11-member league headquartered in Macon, Ga., consists of Belmont, Campbell, ETSU, Florida Atlantic, Gardner-Webb, Jacksonville, Kennesaw State, Lipscomb, Mercer, North Florida and Stetson.

OTHER TOP PERFORMERS
· Ricky McPhee, Gardner-Webb (Fr. - G - Lilburn, Ga. - Undeclared Major)
McPhee scored a game-high 21 points in just 20 minutes off the bench, including a game-tying three-pointer with just 13.7 seconds left in the game to nearly spark an upset of the defending national champion North Carolina Tarheels.

· Tim Smith, ETSU (Sr. - G - Newport News, Va. - Sports Management Major)
Smith scored a game-high 26 points, hitting on 11-of-22 shots and dishing out eight assists in ETSU's 106-83 loss to Tennessee. It was the 40th time in Smith's career that he has eclipsed 20 points in a game.