Belmont 69, ETSU 65

3/7/2008 11:45 PM

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -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.

The Bruins (24-8) will face Jacksonville on Saturday night in the championship game with an automatic NCAA tournament bid on the line.

Belmont trailed by a point when Andy Wicke fouled East Tennessee's Kenyona Swader to stop the clock. Swader verbally responded to Wicke, and a nearby official whistled Swader for a technical foul.

Hare's two free throws gave Belmont its first lead of the game, while Swader missed the front end of a one-and-one.

ETSU coach Murry Bartow, who was heard in a hallway after the game complaining to Atlantic Sun coordinator of officials Jake Bell, refused to comment on the officiating.

``If I do, we'll never get done with this press conference,'' Bartow said.

Belmont coach Rick Byrd, who now has a chance to take his team to a third straight NCAA tournament, said he didn't see it well enough to comment.

``I do not subscribe to the theory that you don't make a call at the end of the game that you wouldn't make at any other time of the game,'' Byrd said.

Hare hit two more free throws on the following trip down the floor with 13 seconds to play, and Shane Dansby added another for the Bruins.

Matthew Dotson led Belmont scoring with 17 points, which all came in the first half. Dansby finished with 14, Alex Renfroe added 11 and Hare had 10.

East Tennessee was led by 20 points from Courtney Pigram off the bench.

Swader finished with 17 points and 15 rebounds, while Mike Smith scored 13.