NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Troy State men’s basketball team held off a late charge by Belmont to claim an 80-75 win in a key Atlantic Sun Conference game at the Municipal Auditorium here Saturday.

The Trojans shot 46.8 percent for the game, going 29-of-62 from the floor, hitting 12 three-pointers. Ben Fletcher led the Trojans with a game-high 21 points, going 8-of-15 from the floor and 5-of-10 from behind the arc. Lamayn Wilson shot 7-of-12 for the game and was 2-of-4 from behind the arc. Robert Rushing added 10 points, with a season-high seven assists.

"We shot the ball extremely well today," said Troy State head coach Don Maestri. "Belmont is a good team and we had to shoot the ball really well to beat them. Ben had a great game and when we got the ball down to Lamayn he was able to convert for us. Robert did a great job on controlling the game from the point and his seven assists show that."

Troy State (7-5, 3-2 A-Sun) after falling behind 10-6, came back, with Wilson hitting two three-pointers, the second putting the Trojans on top 18-12 with just over 12 minutes left in the first half.

Belmont (5-7, 2-3 A-Sun) would rally, going on a 14-8 run to tie the game at 28 on two free throws by Jason Sonn. The Bruins would hit three three-pointers in the run, to tie the game.

The Trojans would answer again, extending the lead to six, 38-32 on a three-pointer by Fletcher with just over three minutes left in the first half.

After a three-pointer by Rushing to put TSU ahead 69-63, the Burins would go on a 9-2 run, capped by a four-point play by Will Howard-Downs, to put the Bruins on top 72-71, with just over minute left in the game.

Robert Rushing was fouled and hit with two free throws to put the Trojans back on top by one, 73-72.

Donnie Pemberton, who had missed his first four three-point attempts, drained his last attempt with 36 second left, to put the Trojans on top 76-74.

Sonn would hit one of two free throws, and the Bruins couldn’t score in the last 30 second, with the Trojans hitting four straight free throws to finish off the 80-75 win.