The Bruins dropped a 92-72 decision to Alabama Dec. 21. Graduate student Tyler Scanlon (Centreville, Va.) scored a season-high 20 points. The 6-7 forward has five double figure scoring games this season and is averaging 10.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game on 52 percent shooting.
Sophomore Adam Kunkel (Hebron, Ky.) continues to be one of the bright stories of the college basketball season. The 6-3 guard leads the nation in year-to-year scoring increase (+16.5 ppg), earned a spot on Andy Katz's weekly NCAA.com column, and has been named Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Week twice this season. Kunkel ranks among OVC leaders in five statistical categories, including first in 3-point field goals per game (3.33) and second in scoring (18.8).
Sophomore Nick Muszynski (Pickerington, Ohio) delivered one of his finest halves in a Belmont uniform vs. Alabama, scoring 17 points on 7-for-7 shooting in the opening 20 minutes. The 6-11 center is averaging 15.5 points, 5.1 rebounds and an OVC-best 1.8 blocked shots per game. He is on pace to set Belmont's NCAA Division I era career blocked shot record later this season.
Muszynski and Western Kentucky center Charles Bassey were 2019 Basketball Times Freshman All-Americans.
Saturday will serve as a reunion for sophomore Grayson Murphy (Franklin, Tenn.), who will face his brother Patrick on the Western Kentucky team. The younger Murphy leads Belmont in rebounds, assists and steals, while the older Murphy began his career at Martin Methodist College before transferring to Western Kentucky. The brothers led Independence High School to new heights. Moreover, father Scott, played at Austin Peay while Western Kentucky head coach Rick Stansbury served as an assistant coach.
Former Belmont All-American Ian Clark ('13) and former WKU forward Jeremy Evans were teammates for two seasons on the Utah Jazz (2013- 15). Clark was part of the 2017 NBA Champion Golden State Warriors.
Voice of the Bruins Kevin Ingram is a Bowling Green, Kentucky native and is a 1993 WKU graduate. Belmont associate athletic director Steve Barrick is also a WKU graduate.
This is the sixth consecutive season Belmont and Western Kentucky have played during the non-conference schedule.
This marks the 12th meeting between Belmont and Western Kentucky. The Bruins won last season, 80-74, at the Curb Event Center behind Murphy's 20 points.
Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on Stadium and WatchStadium.com. 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 Western Kentucky 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.
