NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont University men's basketball returns to game action Saturday vs. Samford.
The Bruins defeated Howard, George Mason and Queens (NC) to win the DC Paradise Jam championship. Junior Luke Smith (Knoxville, Tenn.) averaged 18.0 points and 3.3 steals per game en route to DC Paradise Jam Tournament Most Valuable Player and OVC Newcomer of the Week honors. The 6-0 guard went over 1,000 career points in the victory over George Mason.
Junior Nick Muszynski (Pickerington, Ohio), who also went over 1,000 career points vs. George Mason, became Belmont's NCAA Division I era career blocked shot leader vs. Howard. The 6-11 center has 55 career double figure scoring games. He was named to the Lou Henson Award Watch List earlier this week.
Junior Grayson Murphy (Franklin, Tenn.) led the nation in rebounding from the point guard position last season, and has picked up where he left off. Murphy recorded double figure rebounds in all three games in Washington, D.C., including a career-high 13 rebounds vs. Howard. The 6-2 guard has 11 career double-doubles and is on pace to threaten the Ohio Valley Conference career records in assists and steals.
Like Smith, freshman JaCobi Wood (Cleveland, Tenn.) was impressive in his Belmont debut, scoring 21 points vs. Howard; the 21 points represented the second-most scored in a debut in Belmont's NCAA Division I era. The reigning Tennessee Mr. Basketball scored 15 points vs. Queens (NC).
Junior Caleb Hollander (Nashville, Tenn.) delivered strong performances in Washington, D.C. The versatile forward scored a team-high 17 points vs. George Mason and added a career-high 13 rebounds vs. Queens (NC). Hollander has 58 career 3-point field goals.
Belmont has strong ties to the state of Alabama; including all-time greats Kerron Johnson (Huntsville) and assistant coaches Tyler Holloway (Decatur) and Mick Hedgepeth (Crossville).
Belmont was Samford's first men's basketball opponent in the Pete Hanna Center (11/15/07). Behind 25 points from future Hall of Famer Justin Hare, Belmont won, 81-73. Hare's brother, Josh, played at Samford from 2002-05.
Belmont and Samford met four times from 2001-03 as then-Atlantic Sun Conference members.
Samford assistant coach Matthew Powell is the son of Belmont Public Address Announcer Peter Powell.
Samford women's basketball head coach Carley Kuhns was an assistant coach at Belmont from 2011-16.
This marks the 29th meeting between Belmont and Samford. The Bruins won last season at the Curb Event Center.
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.
Samford at Belmont Game Notes
Belmont University men's basketball has earned postseason invitations 14 of the last 15 seasons, including nine berths to the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins have won 19 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 rankings 10 consecutive seasons (BYU, Gonzaga, Saint Mary's (CA), San Diego State, Wichita State). Belmont is one of only six NCAA Division I programs to win 19 or more games 15 consecutive seasons (Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, Michigan State, 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.
