EVANSVILLE, Ind. - - Belmont University men's basketball returns to game action Friday in the semifinal round of the 2018 OVC Basketball Championship.
Belmont went 15-3 in OVC play, earning a No. 2 seed; under head coach Rick Byrd, the Bruins have finished no worse than second in conference standings 13 consecutive seasons (nine regular season titles, four second-place finishes).
Senior forward Amanze Egekeze (Lake in the Hills, Ill.), senior point guard Austin Luke (Rowlett, Texas) and junior guard/forward Dylan Windler (Indianapolis, Ind.) were named All-OVC First Team Tuesday.
Egekeze has 63 career double figure scoring games and ranks ninth on the Bruins' NCAA Division I era career scoring list with 1,311 points. The 6-8 forward ranks among OVC leaders in eight statistical categories, including fifth in scoring (16.6) and third in 3-point field goals made (86). Egekeze hit decisive shots in victories at Western Kentucky (12/19/17) and Tennessee Tech (2/10/18) and ranks fourth among all active NCAA Division I forwards in career 3-point field goals made (212).
Like Egekeze, Luke has been a central part of 88 Belmont victories to date, including signature victories over Marquette, Georgia, Vanderbilt and Middle Tennessee. The Rowlett, Texas native holds Belmont's NCAA Division I era single-season and career records for assists. His 660 career assists are fifth among all active players in college basketball, and third in OVC history. Luke joins the select company of Evan Bradds and Craig Bradshaw as the only Belmont players named All-OVC First Team in successive seasons.
Windler emerged as one of the top two-way players in college basketball this season. The Indianapolis, Indiana native ranks among NCAA leaders in double-doubles (14) and defensive rebounds (234) and scored in double figures of 29 games. The 6-7 forward posted a career-high 36-point, 20-rebound performance Feb. 17 vs. Morehead State, joining Marvin Bagley of Duke and Jo Lual-Acuil of Baylor as one of only three players in the nation to record a 30-20 game this season. A three-time OVC Player of the Week and three-time Tennessee Sports Writers Association (TSWA) Player of the Week honoree, Windler ranks among OVC leaders in nine statistical categories, including fourth in scoring (17.6) and first in rebounding (9.3).
Belmont enters Championship Week as one of only three NCAA Division I institutions with 50 or more victories combined between men's and women's basketball (Gonzaga, Mississippi State).
This marks the sixth time in since joining the OVC in 2013 that Belmont has earned a double bye in the conference tournament. The lone exception was 2015, when Belmont defeated Eastern Illinois, Eastern Kentucky and No. 24 Murray State in succession.
Since 2006, Belmont is 22-5 in conference tournament games, including seven conference tournament championships (2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012 - Atlantic Sun; 2013, 2015 - OVC).
Five current members of the Belmont team (Egekeze, Luke, McClain, Sampson, Windler) have played in the Ford Center (11/21/15). Egekeze scored 19 points and Luke handed out 10 assists, while junior Kevin McClain (Jennings, Fla), senior Burton Sampson (Knoxville, Tenn.) and Windler all saw action off the bench.
Belmont head coach Rick Byrd has recruited the state of Indiana heavily over the years, with four current players (Windler, Mercer, Adelsperger, Benkert) hailing from the Hoosier state. Past notable Belmont players include Jordan Campbell (Indianapolis), Adam Mark (Bremen) and Steve Drabyn (LaPorte).
Since 2000-01, Belmont Basketball leads the nation in Academic All-Americans (15), which includes Evan Bradds in 2016-17. Windler is a candidate for Academic All-America honors this season.
Belmont (23-8) will face either Austin Peay or Eastern Illinois Friday, March 2 in the OVC semifinal round. Tip-off is set for 9 p.m. CT. 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.
Belmont OVC Semifinal Game Notes
