Box Score
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Behind 27 points from sophomore
Adam Kunkel (Hebron, Ky.), Belmont University men's basketball defeated Lipscomb, 80-75, Tuesday night from the Curb Event Center.
Belmont has now won 15 of the last 17 meetings with Lipscomb, in the Nashville series known as the 'Battle of the Boulevard.'
Kunkel went 10-for-18 from the field, 4-for-8 from 3-point distance and 3-for-3 from the free throw line for his third 25+ point game of the season; he scored a career-high 35 points in Belmont's victory at Boston College Nov. 16.
Belmont trailed by as many eight points in the first half, as efficient Lipscomb offense coupled with Bruin turnovers put the hosts in an early bind.
Lipscomb post Ahsan Asadullah picked up two personal fouls in a 41-second span midway through the first half and was forced to the sidelines.
A 3-pointer from graduate student Tyler Scanlon (Centreville, Va.) and a transition basket from senior Michael Benkert (Greenwood, Ind.) enabled Belmont to close within 38-36 at halftime.
Belmont shot 50 percent (15-for-30) from the field in the opening 20 minutes, but committed 11 first-half turnovers.
Kunkel capped an 11-0 run with a tip-in basket that gave Belmont a 47-40 lead with 16:45 left.
After stifling Lipscomb scoring standout KJ Johnson on the defensive end, Benkert buried a wing 3-pointer to make the score 50-43 with 14:00 left.
Lipscomb got within 53-51 on a Miles Miller basket, but five quick points from junior Nick Hopkins (Fayetteville, Tenn.) stemmed the tide.
Sophomore
Nick Muszynski (Pickerington, Ohio) answered an Asadullah basket with a baseline hook shot to increase the Belmont lead to six, 60-54, with 6:43 to go.
A Kunkel reverse layin made the score 71-58 with 2:42 left.
After going nearly 39 minutes with only one field goal, Johnson made a 4-point play with 1:10 left to get Lipscomb within 73-65.
Then following a Kunkel player control foul, Carson Cary made a layin to get the Bisons within six points.
But Belmont went 7-for-8 from the free throw line in the final 44 seconds to secure the victory.
All told, Belmont shot 51 percent (29-for-57) from the field - including 10-for-28 from 3-point distance.
Muszynski scored 14 points, while Scanlon added 13 points, six rebounds and six assists.
Hopkins had 11.
Andrew Fleming led Lipscomb (3-6) with 20 points.
Belmont has won 115 of its last 124 home games.
Belmont (6-3) returns to game action Wednesday, Dec. 11 vs. Carson-Newman.
