NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont University men's basketball returns to game action Saturday at Boston College in the 2019 Gotham Classic.
Belmont defeated Samford, 95-63, Nov. 11. Sophomore Adam Kunkel (Hebron, Ky.) scored a career-high 28 points for the Bruins. Kunkel has played with poise and confidence, assuming a starting role following the graduation of Belmont all-time greats Dylan Windler and Kevin McClain. Windler was selected 26th in the 2019 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers, while McClain played NBA Summer League with the Golden State Warriors before signing a contract in Germany.
Sophomore Grayson Murphy (Franklin, Tenn.) provided eight rebounds, nine assists and five steals vs. Samford. The 6-2 guard was named Preseason All-OVC and ranked among national leaders in assists per game and assist-to-turnover ratio last season.
Belmont graduate transfer Tyler Scanlon (Centreville, Va.) spent his first four seasons at Boston University. Scanlon scored 1,024 points and made 158 3-point field goals for Boston University. He is enrolled in the Belmont MBA program. Scanlon had 14 points and five rebounds vs. Samford.
Sophomore
Tate Pierson (Brentwood, Tenn.) scored a career-high eight points vs. Samford; his effort part of 33 bench points for Belmont. The 6-6 wing made 28 game appearances last season.
Former Belmont All-American Evan Bradds ('17) is a member of the Boston Celtics' coaching staff as a video coordinator. Bradds is Belmont's NCAA Division I era career scoring leader with 1,921 points and ranks fourth in college basketball history in career field goal percentage (.667).
Belmont and Boston College were in the same pod during the 2007 NCAA Tournament in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Belmont played Georgetown while Boston College played Texas Tech and the Hoyas.
Belmont faced Boston College head coach Jim Christian during his tenure as head coach at Ohio University. On Feb. 23, 2013, the Bruins hosted the Bobcats in the final game of the ESPN BracketBusters series. Belmont won, 81-62, over a Ohio team that Christian led to the NCAA Sweet 16 the year prior.
Tip-off is set for 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on the ACC Network 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 at Boston College Game Notes
Belmont University men's basketball has earned postseason invitations 13 of the last 14 seasons, including eight berths to the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins have won 17 conference championships since 2006 - third-most nationally over that span (Gonzaga, Kansas). Belmont is one of only six NCAA Division I programs outside the Power 5 to post Top 100 RPIs nine consecutive seasons (BYU, Gonzaga, Saint Mary's (CA), San Diego State, Wichita State). Belmont is one of only nine NCAA Division I programs to win 19 or more games 14 consecutive seasons (BYU, Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, Louisville, Michigan State, North Carolina, San Diego State). Belmont University men's basketball boasts an NCAA-leading 17 CoSIDA Academic All-America selections since 2001 and is the only NCAA Division I program to make the NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) Honor Roll every year of existence.
