Friday, November 09, 2007

CINCINNATI - Justin Hare scored 23 points Friday night, and Belmont repeatedly got open layups and uncontested 3-pointers in an 86-75 victory that snapped Cincinnati's streak of 42 consecutive victories in home openers.

Belmont (1-0), the two-time defending Atlantic Sun Conference champion, built a 13-point lead midway through the second half and held on against a team trying to dig out from two years of turmoil.

Hare, the Bruins' lone senior who was their leading scorer last season at 14.3 point per game, had 16 in the first half alone. The Bruins got the bulk of their points off layups and 3-pointers against a man-to-man defense that couldn't keep up.

It was the most points Cincinnati (0-1) allowed in a season opener since an 87-72 loss to Mississippi State in 1979. Also, it was the second impressive win for an Atlantic Sun team this week -- Gardner-Webb knocked off No. 20 Kentucky 84-68 on Wednesday night.

Earlier Friday, Western Carolina beat Bowling Green 63-60 in the opener of the Peggy Cronin Classic. The three-day, round-robin tournament honoring the deceased mother of Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin is being played on the Bearcats' home court.

The home team couldn't have played much worse on defense.

Eight of Belmont's first 11 baskets came on layups, two of them when a man was left unguarded for an easy pass-and-score. The Bruins shot 51.6 percent from the field overall.