Box Score
JACKSONVILLE, Ala. - - Belmont University men's basketball defeated Jacksonville State, 78-64, Saturday afternoon.
Sophomore Nick Muszynski (Pickerington, Ohio) opened the game impressively, scoring Belmont's first 12 points.
But Jacksonville State post player Jacara Cross nearly answered shot for shot in the first 10 minutes.
Sophomore Tate Pierson (Brentwood, Tenn.) made a wing 3-pointer to take the scoring torch from Muszynski, and graduate student Tyler Scanlon (Centreville, Va.) capped a 9-0 Belmont run to make the score 21-13 with 8:08 left in the half.
Active Bruin defense led to open court opportunities, as consecutive 3-pointers from sophomore Adam Kunkel (Hebron, Ky.) and freshman Ben Sheppard (Atlanta, Ga.) gave Belmont a 29-19 lead.
Belmont led 37-31 at halftime.
Belmont shot 52 percent (15-for-29) from the field in the opening 20 minutes.
Another Scanlon 3-pointer pushed the margin to seven, 40-33, with 18:12 remaining before a brief cold spell on clean looks enabled Jacksonville State to take the lead.
A Cross interior basket gave the hosts a 42-41 edge with 14:03 left.
From there, Belmont responded with arguably its strongest stretch of play this season.
A flurry of inspired defense and shotmaking from sophomore Caleb Hollander (Nashville, Tenn.) and Sheppard sparked the Bruins as they reclaimed control.
Hollander capped an 18-0 run over 3:17 that gave Belmont a 59-42 lead with 10:46 left.
Kunkel made a clutch pullup jumper with 4:23 remaining to make the score 65-54, and he went 8-for-8 from the free throw line in the final 1:53 to secure the victory.
All told, Belmont shot 48 percent (27-for-56) from the field - including 10-for-29 from 3-point distance.
Belmont scored 39 points off 22 Jacksonville State turnovers.
Scanlon led five Belmont players in double figures with 19 points.
Muszynski and Kunkel each scored 13, Hollander added 12.
Sheppard had 10.
Sophomore Grayson Murphy (Franklin, Tenn.) had eight points, five rebounds, six assists and a career-high seven steals.
Cross led Jacksonville State (9-14, 4-6 OVC) with 25 points.
Belmont (16-7, 7-3 OVC) returns to game action Thursday, Feb. 6 vs. Murray State. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. CT from the Curb Event Center.
