Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Senior All-America candidate Evan Bradds (Jamestown, Ohio) led six double figure scorers as Belmont University men's basketball defeated Morehead State, 89-73, Saturday.
After each team played methodical, halfcourt games Thursday night, the Bruins and Eagles embraced a racehorse pace out of the game, befitting NBA All-Star Weekend.
But as those all-star contests are bereft of defense, this game featured high intensity and physicality from the top two teams in the OVC East.
The Bruins and Eagles combined to score 28 points before the first media timeout, in a first half that featured seven ties and seven lead changes.
A driving slam from sophomore Dylan Windler (Indianapolis, Ind.) and a basket from junior Amanze Egekeze (Lake in the Hills, Ill.) helped Belmont build a 22-17 lead seven minutes in.
The Bruins would endure a brief drought - and a Djimon Henson 3-pointer gave the visitors a 28-22 lead at the 8:04 mark - before Belmont closed the half strong.
A subtle, yet defining sequence took place to end the first half and open the second 20 minutes, as a 3-pointer from junior Austin Luke (Rowlett, Texas) to close the first half and a triple from Windler to open the second half turned a two point game into a 44-36 advantage for Belmont with 19:43 left.
From there, hot shooting from senior Nick Smith (Bentonville, Ark.) and Taylor Barnette (Lexington, Ky.) pushed the lead to 64-44 with 13:08 remaining.
Belmont led by as many as 23.
All told, Belmont shot 55 percent (32-for-58) from the field - including 15-for-30 from 3-point distance.
The Bruins held Morehead State to 41 percent shooting.
Bradds had 19 points and nine rebounds. Smith and Barnette each had 17. Windler, Luke and Egekeze added 11.
Luke, second in the nation in assists per game, also had 10 assists.
Xavier Moon and Lamontray Harris had 16 points each for Morehead State (13-14, 9-5 OVC).
Belmont (20-5, 14-1 OVC) returns to game action Tuesday, Feb. 21 vs. Trevecca Nazarene. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. CT from the Curb Event Center.
NOTES: Belmont secured its 11th 20-plus win season in the last 12 years ... Belmont has won 88 of its last 94 home games, and is 38-1 in OVC games at the Curb Event Center ... Bradds scored 19 points to pass Wes Burtner ('02) for second place on the Bruins' NCAA Division I era scoring list ... Bradds has 1,845 career points ... 15 3-point field goals were the most for Belmont since 18 vs. UT Martin (1/5/17) ... Luke tallied his second career double-double (vs. TSU 1/24/16) ... Freshman Michael Benkert made his second 3-pointer in OVC play.
