CHARLOTTE, N.C. -  The Johnson C. Smith University men's basketball team battled Belmont Abbey College on Wednesday to open up their 2019-20 schedule but the Golden Bulls were unable to begin the season with a victory as JCSU ran out of gas, falling 85-73 in Brayboy Gym.
 
Xavier Jones and Cayse Minor both recorded game highs of 19 and 17 points points apiece to lead Smith in scoring. Both grabbed five rebounds on the night.
 
Smith (0-1) shot 40-percent (23-52) from the floor, connecting just 2-of-8 from the three-point line while hitting 24-of-33 from the foul line on the night.
 
In the opening, the Crusaders raced out to a 5-0 run before the Golden Bulls finally got on the scoreboard with a jumper from Justice Goodloe. 

JCSU cut the Crusaders lead to nine but that would be the closest they would get the remainder of the way as Belmont scored the game's last three points for the win.
 
The Crusaders had four players chart double figures in scoring led by DeQuan Abrom who finished with a game-high 23 points while Shaen Halloran finished with 16 points. Romeao Ferguson and Charles Solomon contributed 15 and 13 points, respectively.
 
Smith will return to action Friday, Nov 15 in the Wendy's-Claude Saunders Tipoff Classic.