Austin Peay Preview

The Bruins defeated Murray State, 71-64, Thursday. Graduate student Tyler Scanlon (Centreville, Va.) scored a season-high 21 points.

The 6-7 forward has recorded double figures in 13 of his last 14 games, and ranks among OVC leaders in scoring, 3-point field goal percentage and 3-point field goals per game.

Belmont's four made 3-pointers vs. Murray State were the fewest in a victory since Belmont made two 3-pointers in a 76-72 victory over Eastern Kentucky Feb. 16, 2017.

Sophomore Nick Muszynski (Pickerington, Ohio) has 12 points and seven rebounds Thursday and continues to provide consistent production for the Bruins. The 6-11 center has 21 double figure scoring games this season and with 842 points is threatening to become the fastest Belmont player to 1,000 career points in the NCAA Division I era.

 

Sophomore Grayson Murphy (Franklin, Tenn.) has been one of the most impactful players in the OVC this season. Murphy has eight career double-doubles, including five this season. The 6-2 guard leads the nation in rebounding from the point guard position (7.8) and is second in assist-turnover ratio (3.90). Murphy has recorded multiple steals in seven of his last eight games, including a career-high seven at Jacksonville State. Murphy has 36 assists in his last three meetings vs. Austin Peay. He scored a career-high 23 points at Austin Peay Jan. 25.

Sophomore Adam Kunkel (Hebron, Ky.) has a team-high 22 double figure scoring games this season and ranks seventh in the OVC in scoring at 16.8 points per game. The 6-3 guard had a career-high 35 points in Belmont's victory at Boston College.

Senior Michael Benkert (Greenwood, Ind.) scored a career-high 15 points at Western Kentucky and had 11 points at Tennessee Tech. One of the top perimeter defenders in the OVC, Benkert has made 28 consecutive starts for the Bruins.

Freshman Ben Sheppard (Atlanta, Ga.) has a career-high three steals vs. Murray State Thursday. The 6-6 guard had one of his top games in a Bruin uniform with 10 points and three rebounds at Jacksonville State. 

 

The Bruins currently rank first in the Ohio Valley Conference in 11 statistical categories, including scoring offense (81.0), 3-point field goals per game (10.2) and defensive rebounds per game (29.50). Belmont is top 25 nationally in 10 statistical categories, including first in assists per game (18.9) and fifth in assist-turnover ratio (1.53).

 

Belmont and Austin Peay and the second and third ranked scoring duos in the OVC: (Belmont: Adam Kunkel and Nick Muszynski; Austin Peay: Terry Taylor and Jordyn Adams).

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 careerhigh 21 rebounds in the OVC semifinal.

Belmont head coach Casey Alexander faced Austin Peay five times during his tenure as head coach at Lipscomb (4-1). Alexander and Austin Peay head coach Matt Figger have each been named conference coach of the year.

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 great 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.

Tip-off is set for 5 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.

Fans are encouraged to park in the Johnson Center garage, accessed off 15th Avenue.

Austin Peay 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.