Box Score MILWAUKEE, Wis. - - Behind a 13-0 first half run, Belmont University men's basketball defeated Milwaukee, 62-56, Monday night.
Taking a page from their NBA neighbors - the 'Grit & Grind' Memphis Grizzlies - the Bruins churned out a satisfying road victory after battling through outside shooting nearly as frigid as the bone-chilling temperatures of the Brew City.
It was a whirlwind four-day stretch for Belmont, as Winter Storm Decima buried the upper Midwest in snow and ice, forcing the postponement of Saturday's scheduled game at Green Bay and leading the Bruins into adventurous travel.
But the experienced Bruins appeared unfazed, using the situation as an opportunity to come closer together.
Junior Amanze Egekeze (Lake in the Hills, Ill.) - playing in front of family and friends up from nearby Chicago - scored six early points to give the Bruins a 10-8 lead.
A sharp baseline drive from senior Evan Bradds (Jamestown, Ohio) and a 3-pointer from senior Nick Smith (Bentonville, Ark.) kept Belmont ahead midway through the first half.
After working the host Panthers into foul trouble, the Bruins continued to work for promising looks offensively but endured a three minute drought.
A layin from August Haas gave Milwaukee a 25-17 lead at the 6:42 mark.
But strong, unified defense, and consecutive 3-pointers from senior Taylor Barnette (Lexington, Ky.) and sophomore Dylan Windler (Indianapolis, Ind.) highlighted the first half spurt that lifted Belmont to a 30-28 halftime lead.
Belmont shot 43 percent (13-for-30) from the field in the opening 20 minutes - including 4-for-18 from long distance.
The Bruins held a +7 rebounding advantage at the half.
Two straight baskets from Bradds and one Egekeze free throw extended the lead to seven, 35-28, with 17:01 remaining.
Then after a Bryce Nze layin, Egekeze poured home a baseline 3-pointer and Bradds tacked on a second chance basket to push the lead to 40-30 with 14:47 to go.
But each time the Bruins appeared on the verge of breaking free, a shot would rim off and the Panthers would claw back into the game.
Consecutive baskets from Jeremy Johnson trimmed the margin to 41-38 with 10:38 left.
But a determined conventional 3-point play from Egekeze and baskets from Windler and Bradds upped the lead back to nine, 51-42, with 7:40 remaining.
Belmont did exceptional work defensively, taking Milwaukee out of its initial reads and contesting shots at every turn.
A timely 3-pointer from Smith and a coast-to-coast layin from junior Austin Luke (Rowlett, Texas) gave Belmont a 58-47 lead with 2:58 to go.
Milwaukee got within four, 58-54, with 56 seconds left on a 3-pointer from Brock Stull, but clutch free throws from Barnette and Luke enabled Belmont to close the game.
All told, Belmont shot 41 percent (24-for-59) from the field and handed out 16 assists on 24 made field goals. The Bruins held Milwaukee to 37 percent shooting.
Bradds led three Bruins in double figures with a game-high 18 points and nine rebounds. Egekeze tallied his second double-double in three games with 14 points and a career-high 14 rebounds. He added three blocked shots.
Barnette had 10, while Luke had 10 assists and one turnover.
Johnson and Jeremiah Bell led Milwaukee (4-9) with 10 points each.
Belmont (5-4) returns to game action Thursday, Dec. 22 vs. Cleveland State. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. CT from the Curb Event Center. The game will be broadcast on OVC Digital Network. The live play-by-play of Voice of the Bruins Kevin Ingram can be heard on the Bruin Sports Network. In-game updates will be available via Twitter @BelmontMBB.
NOTE: Belmont won in Milwaukee for a second consecutive season; the Bruins won at Marquette to open last season ... Belmont led in points in the paint, points off turnovers, and second chance points ... Belmont limited Milwaukee's two leading scorers, Cody Wichmann and Brock Stull, to 16 points on a combined 6-for-21 shooting ... In addition to Egekeze's family, former Belmont standout Drew Windler, former Bruin athletic trainer Megan Goerlinger, and former operations student worker Jason Blank cheered on the Bruins.
