EVANSVILLE, Ind. - - Belmont University men's basketball returns to game action Friday in the semifinal round of the 2020 OVC Basketball Championship.
Belmont (24-7) defeated Tennessee State, 72-65, Feb. 29 to secure the program's 11th regular season conference championship in the last 15 years and sixth in eight years of OVC membership.
Graduate student Tyler Scanlon (Centreville, Va.) was named OVC Newcomer of the Week, while sophomores Grayson Murphy (Franklin, Tenn.), Nick Muszynski (Pickerington, Ohio) and Adam Kunkel (Hebron, Ky.) were named All-OVC First Team Tuesday.
This marks the fourth time - and third consecutive year - Belmont has had three players earn first team all-conference honors in the same season (2012: Ian Clark, Kerron Johnson, Drew Hanlen; 2018: Dylan Windler, Amanze Egekeze, Austin Luke; 2019: Dylan Windler, Kevin McClain, Nick Muszynski).
Muszynski scored 19 points in the regular season finale, putting him 58 points shy of 1,000 for his career. The 6-11 center has 26 double figure scoring games this season and ranks among OVC leaders in five statistical categories, including points per game (15.2), rebounds per game (6.3) and blocked shots per game (1.55). He was named to the Lou Henson Award Midseason Watch List and became the first Belmont player of the program's NCAA Division I era to earn first team all-conference honors as a freshman and sophomore.
Murphy, who was also named OVC Defensive Player of the Year, has been one of the most impactful players in the OVC this season. Murphy has nine career double-doubles, including 16 points and 10 rebounds at Morehead State Feb. 20. The 6-2 guard leads the nation in rebounding from the point guard position (7.5) and is second in assist-turnover ratio (3.98). Murphy also ranks top 10 nationally in total steals (85), steals per game (2.74) and total assists (195). He has multiple steals in 14 of his last 15 games, and with a career-high tying seven steals at Eastern Kentucky Feb. 22 set the Belmont NCAA Division I era single-season record for steals.
Kunkel has been one of the feel-good stories in college basketball this season. After seeing limited playing time as a freshman behind Belmont greats Dylan Windler and Kevin McClain, Kunkel emerged as a consistent perimeter scoring threat. The 6-3 guard recorded a team-high 27 double figure scoring games, including eight games of 20 or more points. Kunkel ranks among OVC leaders in five statistical categories, including seventh in points per game (16.6), second in free throw percentage (.827) and fourth in 3-point field goals per game (2.6). Twice named OVC Player of the Week, Kunkel scored a career-high 35 points in Belmont's victory at Boston College. He has seen the second-biggest year-to-year scoring increase in the nation this season, increasing his scoring output by 14.3 points per game.
Scanlon had 20 points at Tennessee State. The 6-7 forward ranks among OVC leaders in scoring (12.6), field goal percentage (.503), 3-point field goal percentage (.401) and 3-point field goals per game (2.0).
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 35 consecutive starts for the Bruins.
Senior Seth Adelsperger (Peru, Ind.) has made 121 career game appearances, and is averaging 2.7 blocked shots per 40 minutes this season. The 6-11 center was named CoSIDA Academic All-District Feb. 20.
Freshman Ben Sheppard (Atlanta, Ga.) had a career-high three steals vs. Murray State Feb. 6. The 6-6 guard has made 30 game appearances, including 10 points and three rebounds at Eastern Kentucky.
Sophomore Tate Pierson (Brentwood, Tenn.) has provided a steady production off the bench in recent weeks. The 6-6 guard features a 63 percent effective field goal percentage and has made at least one 3-point field goal in seven of his last nine games.
Junior Nick Hopkins (Fayetteville, Tenn.) scored 41 points over his last six games. The 6-0 guard ranks among OVC active leaders in career 3-point field goals (148).
The Bruins currently rank first in the Ohio Valley Conference in 12 statistical categories, including scoring offense (80.4), 3-point field goals per game (9.9) and total assists (575). Belmont is top 25 nationally in 12 statistical categories, including first in assists per game (18.5) and third in assist-turnover ratio (1.55).
2019 graduate and Cleveland Cavaliers' rookie Dylan Windler set a Belmont NCAA Division I era single-game record with 21 rebounds vs. Austin Peay in the 2019 OVC semifinal round.
Amanze Egekeze ('18) set an OVC Tournament record with nine consecutive 3-point field goals made in Belmont's OVC semifinal victory over Austin Peay in 2018.
Belmont Hall of Famer Ken Sidwell still holds the record for consecutive free throws made in an OVC Tournament game (16, vs. Western Kentucky, 1955). Sidwell, who played at Tennessee Tech, would go on to serve as basketball and baseball coach, and athletic director at Belmont.
Belmont has earned the double bye seven of its eight years of OVC membership; the lone exception was 2015, when Belmont defeated Eastern Illinois, Eastern Kentucky and No. 24 Murray State in succession to win the tournament championship and NCAA Tournament bid. Belmont set an OVC Tournament record with 39 made 3-point field goals over the three games.
Belmont will face either Eastern Kentucky or Tennessee State Friday, March 6 in the OVC Semifinal Round. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. CT from the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU 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 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 18 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 eight NCAA Division I programs to win 19 or more games 15 consecutive seasons (BYU, Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, Louisville, 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.
