NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont University men's basketball returns to game action Saturday at Austin Peay.
The Bruins dropped an 85-75 decision at Murray State Thursday. Sophomore Adam Kunkel (Hebron, Ky.) scored a team-high 23 points. The 6-3 guard has 18 double figure scoring games this season and leads Belmont in scoring at 17.2 points per game.
Belmont ranks top 10 nationally in seven statistical categories, including second in assists per game and total assists, and third in defensive rebounds per game.
Belmont sophomore Nick Muszynski (Pickerington, Ohio) had 19 points and nine rebounds Thursday. Muszynski and Austin Peay junior Terry Taylor were the consensus OVC Preseason Player of the Year selections; Muszynski was tabbed by Blue Ribbon, Athlon and Street & Smith, while Taylor was chosen by Blue Ribbon, Lindy's and the league office.
Sophomore Grayson Murphy (Franklin, Tenn.) had 26 assists in two meetings vs. Austin Peay last season, including a then career-high 15 assists at the Governors.
2019 graduate and Cleveland Cavaliers' rookie Dylan Windler had two of the greatest individual games in program history vs. Austin Peay last season. Windler had 33 points and 12 rebounds in Clarksville - including 20 consecutive points in the second half, and 32 points and a career-high 21 rebounds in the OVC semifinal.
Amanze Egekeze ('18) set an OVC Tournament record with nine consecutive 3-point field goals in the 2018 OVC semifinal vs. Austin Peay. Egekeze finished with a career-high 32 points as Belmont won, 94-79.
Evan Bradds ('17) delivered one of the most courageous performances in program history in the 2016 OVC Tournament vs. Austin Peay, setting a tournament record going 15-for-16 from the field and scoring 32 points.
Belmont's 89-83 victory at Austin Peay (1/17/15) was the 700th career victory for Belmont head coach Rick Byrd.
Belmont associate head coach Brian Ayers is a Clarksville, Tennessee native, who served on the Governors' coaching staff during the 1995-96 season while earning his master's degree.
This marks the 51st meeting between Belmont and Austin Peay, 11th in OVC play.
Tip-off is set for 4 p.m. CT. 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.
Belmont at Austin Peay 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.
