Mick Hedgepeth scored 24 points as Belmont rode a big second half to an 84-71 victory over Stetson on Saturday night in Atlantic Sun conference play.
Down 31-29 at halftime, Belmont scored 55 points in the second half. The Bruins (12-6, 5-1) hit 32 of 59 field goal attempts (54.2 percent). Stetson (7-10, 4-3) was 24 for 54 (44 percent). That helped offset the Hatters' 3-point advantage.
Stetson made 15 of 33 3-point attempts while Belmont was 5 for 22. But the Bruins outscored Stetson 15-8 at the foul line, with Kerron Johnson (19 points off the bench) sinking 9 of 11 free throws.
Hedgepeth missed only one shot, going 11 for 12 from the floor, 2 for 2 at the foul line. Adam Pegg led Stetson with 20 points.
Belmont opened up a 49-38 lead 5 minutes after intermission and led by as many as 17 points, 69-52.
