NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont University men's basketball returns to game action Saturday vs. Morehead State.
The Bruins defeated Eastern Kentucky, 87-56, Thursday. Belmont handed out 22 assists on 33 made field goals and saw 11 players score.
Sophomore Nick Muszynski (Pickerington, Ohio) had 16 points, eight rebounds and four assists. The 6-11 center has 15 double figure scoring games this season and is among OVC leaders in scoring and rebounding. Muszynski was a 2019 Basketball Times Freshman All-America selection and was named Preseason All-OVC.
Sophomore Grayson Murphy (Franklin, Tenn.) had 10 rebounds vs. Eastern Kentucky, his fifth double figure rebound game this season. The 6-2 guard ranks among OVC leaders in seven statistical categories, including first in assists per game and assist-turnover ratio and second in steals per game. Murphy has six career double-doubles and leads the nation in rebounding from the point guard position (8.2).
Sophomore Adam Kunkel (Hebron, Ky.) has 15 double figure scoring games this season, including a career-high 35 points in Belmont's victory at Boston College. The 6-3 guard has been OVC Player of the Week twice this season, and ranks among OVC leaders in five statistical categories. He had a career-high six rebounds vs. Eastern Kentucky.
Senior Seth Adelsperger (Peru, Ind.) had a season-high 12 points and eight rebounds vs. Eastern Kentucky. The 6-11 center has six double figure scoring games and is averaging 3.4 blocked shots per 40 minutes.
Freshman Ben Sheppard (Atlanta, Ga.) had seven points and four rebounds Thursday. The 6-6 wing was named OVC Freshman of the Week Dec. 16.
Belmont currently ranks top 10 nationally in seven statistical categories, including second in defensive rebounds per game, assists per game, and total assists, sixth in assist-turnover ratio and seventh in 3-point field goals per game.
Former Belmont point guard Kerron Johnson ('13) established Curb Event Center single-game records for free throws made (19) and attempts (21) versus Morehead State (1/31/13).
Belmont great Ian Clark ('13) and Morehead State standout Kenneth Faried were teammates on the Denver Nuggets for two months at the end of the 2014-15 season.
2019 graduate and Cleveland Cavaliers rookie Dylan Windler had two of the greatest individual performances in program history, both vs. Morehead State. In 2018, Windler recorded 36 points and 20 rebounds in a home victory over Morehead State. It was one of only three 30-20 games in all of NCAA Division I men's basketball that season (Marvin Bagley, Jo-Lual Acuil). Then in 2019, Windler went for a career-high 41 points and 12 rebounds in victory at Morehead State, one shy of Belmont's NCAA Division I era single-game scoring mark of 42, held by Craig Bradshaw (at Ohio, 11/29/14).
Belmont head coach Casey Alexander earned victories over Morehead State each of the last three seasons as head coach at Lipscomb.
Sophomore Caleb Hollander (Nashville, Tenn.) scored a career-high 22 points vs. Morehead State last season (1/10/19).
This marks the 16th meeting between Belmont and Morehead State. The Bruins won both meetings last season.
Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. CT from the Curb Event Center. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ 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.
The game will be 'Dollar Kids Day' - with $1 admission for the men's and women's basketball doubleheader. CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS.
Morehead State at Belmont 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.
