Andy Wicke News

By Kyle Whelliston Special to ESPN.com If it wasn't for Andy Wicke, Belmont might have been just another flattened No.

“We lost the game but one, but that one-point loss, it is unfair in a way because it doesn't measure the effort that our kids put in”

Belmont University nearly pulled off an upset win against No. 2 ranked Duke in Thursday night NCAA Tournament action but just couldn't hold on. via WKRN

“We played against a team that played an amazing game. They're very good. I mean, they're just -- we were ready to play. You wouldn't hear any of our players say that we overlooked them; there's no way.”

When someone inquired whom the Bruins' best player was, the reply came, "Secretariat?" Shame on us cynics, no? We had no right to dismiss such a quality team, a program that showed it had just as much right to ... via The Washington Post

“I knew those guys would give Duke a game”

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - It may have surprised some people, but Chris Lofton had a huge smile on his face Friday afternoon. via DNJ.com

“Our freshman and sophomore class has not won an NCAA game, so they're excited”

WASHINGTON, D.C. - On the bus ride from the team's hotel on C Street to practice at the Verizon Center on Wednesday, Belmont's players caught glimpses of sites that are so much a part of U.S. history. via The Leaf-Chronicle

“If that was No. 15, it would be pretty doggone special”

Belmont guard Justin Hare already has reeled in one whopper. "A seven-pound, largemouth bass," said his teammate and roommate, Andy Wicke. via News Observer

“If I do, we'll never get done with this press conference”

Justin Hare sank four free throws in the final 20 seconds, including two off a controversial technical foul, to help Belmont to a 69-65 win on Friday night in the Atlantic Sun tournament semifinals. via CBS SportsLine.com

“We definitely were excited to see we were going to get to play East Tennessee again,'' said Josh Slater, who led Lipscomb in scoring in four of its last seven games. "You have to beat the best to be the best so why not start out with them?”

Lipscomb's men's basketball team finished the regular season hungry, but the Bisons like the potential menu being served up in the Atlantic Sun Tournament. via The Tennessean

“I think we're in (the national tournament) with this win,'”

NAIA No. 19 Trevecca rallied for a 55-51 win over Cumberland on Saturday before a capacity crowd at Moore Gym to earn the No. via The Tennessean

Andy Wicke's three-pointer with 40 seconds left erased a late Gardner-Webb lead -- and the Runnin' Bulldogs couldn't recover and fell to Atlantic Sun Conference regular season champion Belmont, 76-73, at Curb ... via The Star Online

Andy Wicke scored 17 points as Belmont beat Campbell 75-64 Thursday night, securing the No. via WCNC

“To sweep the - Battle of the Boulevard,' it's a great feeling”

In order to overcome Lipscomb on Friday, Belmont first had to overcome itself. With the Bruins making only three of their first 17 shots, they were forced to rally from a 10-point deficit in the first half ... via Nashville City Paper

Justin Hare scored 21 points and had four rebounds to help Belmont beat Florida Gulf Coast 86-74 Saturday night. via Tuscaloosa News

Belmont 's Justin Hare scored 20 points to lead four Bruins in double figures in an 83-75 victory over Stetson here Thursday night. via Fox Sports

Justin Hare scored a season-high 31 points as Belmont nearly set a team record with 18 3-pointers and beat host Mercer for the ninth consecutive time Saturday, 93-82. The Bruins were 18-of-39 on 3-pointers. ... via The Tennessean

“I just couldn't afford to rest him”

It just wouldn't be the Battle of the Boulevard without overtime. Make that double overtime. via The Tennessean

“I was so impressed with how they played, how they shot and how they finished”

Austin Peay came out hot, and then had to hold on to beat Belmont 93-84 at the Curb Event Center on Wednesday night. via The Tennessean

“It doesn't mean anything that we beat them the first time, it's a new day”

In sports, the old adage is, 'It's hard to beat teams twice in a row.' Austin Peay faces that prospect tonight when it heads down to Nashville to take on Belmont at the Curb Events Center at 7 p.m. The Govs ... via The Leaf Chronicle

NASHVILLE, Tenn. : Justin Hare scored 23 points and Matthew Dotson 16 to lead Belmont over crosstown rival Tennessee State 82-71 Monday. via International Herald Tribune

Belmont used a 19-5 run to take a 36-33 halftime lead over Tennessee State in a game being played tonight at Curb Event Center. via The Tennessean