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Belmont captures A-Sun with 30th win

Mar 6, 2011 - 1:47 AM Macon, GA (Sports Network) - Mick Hedgepeth scored 23 points and grabbed nine rebounds, as the No. 1 seed Belmont Bruins ended sixth-seeded North Florida's improbable run with an 87-46 win in the Atlantic Sun Conference title game.

The Bruins (30-4) punched their ticket to the 2011 NCAA Tournament while becoming the first team in the country to reach 30 wins.

Scott Saunders scored 15 points off the bench for Belmont, which cruised through the tournament with wins over Kennesaw State and Mercer and tied a conference record with its fourth championship. Ian Clark chipped in 10 points in the win.

Brad Haugabrook had 10 points and was the lone North Florida (15-19) scorer in double digits. The team had 22 turnovers, while getting dominated on the glass, 39-22.

The Ospreys had defeated third-seeded Jacksonville in the quarterfinals, 68-64, and then knocked off second-seeded East Tennessee State on Friday, 59-55, to reach the title game.

Game Notes

Belmont matched UCF with four conference titles. The Golden Knights won in 1994, 1996, 2004 and 2005...The Bruins are a perfect 4-0 in the A-Sun championship game.