Box Score
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Behind 23 points from junior Luke Smith (Knoxville, Tenn.), Belmont University men's basketball defeated Tennessee State, 79-64, Tuesday night.
Junior Nick Muszynski (Pickerington, Ohio) added 22 points and 11 rebounds as Belmont led wire-to-wire.
The 6-11 center scored 18 of his 22 points in the second half, tying the Curb Event Center record with 21 free throw attempts.
Belmont held Tennessee State to one made field goal the opening six and a half minutes in building a 14-2 lead.
The lead grew to 20-6 on a free throw from sophomore Ben Sheppard (Atlanta, Ga.) before the visiting Tigers rode the play of Mark Freeman to close within 33-26 at halftime.
Behind Muszynski and the play of Smith, junior Grayson Murphy (Franklin, Tenn.) and freshman JaCobi Wood (Cleveland, Tenn.), the Bruins worked into the bonus five minutes into the second half.
A Smith 3-pointer and six Muszynski points accounted for a 9-0 Belmont run to make the score 68-46 with 6:05 remaining.
All told, Belmont shot 43 percent (22-for-52) from the field - including 10-for-23 from 3-point distance. Belmont limited Tennessee State to 38 percent shooting, while outrebounding the Tigers, 43-39.
Smith and Muszynski paced four Bruins in double figures; Wood and Murphy each added 10.
Freeman led Tennessee State (0-1) with 26 points.
Belmont has won 16 of its last 17 games overall and 21 of its last 24 games vs. Tennessee State.
Belmont (4-1) returns to game action Saturday, Dec. 12 at Lipscomb. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m.
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.
