Ezeli leads Vanderbilt past Belmont 85-76

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Festus Ezeli scored a career-high 24 points and added 10 rebounds as Vanderbilt beat cross-town rival Belmont 85-76 on Saturday.

Ezeli scored 17 points in the second half as the Commodores overcame a 35-32 halftime deficit.

Vanderbilt scored the first six points of the second half and never trailed again. The Commodores shot 57 percent (12 of 21) over the final 20 minutes.

Jeffery Taylor added 16 points and eight rebounds for the Commodores (7-1). Lance Goulbourne had 15 points, and Brad Tinsley added 14 as Vanderbilt attempted 45 free throws — the most in the Kevin Stallings era (2000-present). The Commodores made 35 of them.

Belmont was led by Mick Hedgepeth with 16 points. Kerron Johnson added 13, and Jordan Campbell had 12.

The scrappy Bruins (5-2) led by as much as seven in the first half before settling for a three-point lead at the break.