NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont University men's basketball returns to game action Thursday vs. Murray State.
Belmont defeated Eastern Illinois, 75-66, Jan. 13. Junior Dylan Windler (Indianapolis, Ind.) scored a career-high 25 points for the Bruins. Windler has emerged as an outstanding two-way player for Belmont, ranking among OVC leaders in nine statisical categories, including first in rebounding. The 6-7 junior is also among NCAA leaders in double-doubles (10), field goal percentage (.562) and defensive rebounds per game (7.47).
Senior Amanze Egekeze (Lake in the Hills, Ill.) has likewise provided consistent production for the Bruins. With 54 career double figure scoring games, Egekeze ranks third in the OVC in scoring (17.6) and 3-point field goals per game (2.9). He tallied one of his five career double-doubles with 24 points and 11 rebounds last season at Murray State (2/2/17).
Senior Austin Luke (Rowlett, Texas) tallied a season-high 12 assists Jan. 13 at Eastern Illinois. Luke, the nation's leading returning assist man, ranks ninth nationally in assists per game (7.2). He has 33 career games of eight or more assists, including nine this season.
The 2013 OVC co-Players of the Year - Ian Clark of Belmont and Isaiah Canaan of Murray State - have gone onto solid young careers in the NBA. Clark, a 2017 NBA Champion, currently plays for the New Orleans Pelicans and Canaan for the Phoenix Suns.
Belmont Director of Basketball Operations Tyler Holloway was a four-year letterwinner at Murray State from 2006-09. Holloway scored 1,083 career points, and played three seasons for former Murray State head coach Steve Prohm when Prohm served as an assistant coach to Billy Kennedy.
Former Belmont Director of Athletics Mike Strickland held the same position at Murray State from 1987-96. Strickland retired following the 2015-16 academic year.
Belmont and Murray State have played seven times since the Bruins joined the OVC in 2012-13, including two of the most compelling conference championship games in recent memory.
In the 2013 OVC Championship at Nashville Municipal Auditorium, Kerron Johnson ('13) sank the game-tying and game-winning shots to lift Belmont over Murray State and into the 2013 NCAA Tournament. Johnson currently plays for MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg in Germany.
In the 2015 OVC Championship at Nashville Municipal Auditorium, Taylor Barnette sank a three-pointer with 3.2 seconds remaining to lift Belmont to a dramatic 88-87 victory over [25/24] Murray State to secure the Bruins' seventh NCAA Tournament berth in 10 years. Barnette's shot was named ESPN/Capital One Impact Performance of Championship Week and was an ESPN SportsCenter Top 10 play for March.
This marks the 13th meeting between Belmont and Murray State. Belmont won, 81-69, last season at Murray State.
Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. CT from the Curb Event Center. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU and the ESPN app. 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.
Murray State at Belmont Game Notes
