SIU Edwardsville Preview

The Bruins defeated Eastern Illinois, 79-66, Thursday. Belmont scored 37 bench points, led by freshman JaCobi Wood (Cleveland, Tenn.) and his team-high 17 points. He scored a career-high tying 21 points in 22 minutes vs. UT Martin. The dynamic playmaker has been named OVC Freshman of the Week twice, has posted 13 double figure scoring games and leads the OVC in scoring among freshmen (13.0 ppg). Wood ranks sixth nationally in freshman scoring.

 

Sophomore Ben Sheppard (Atlanta, Ga.) had nine points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals vs. Eastern Illinois. Sheppard scored a career-high 22 points at Jacksonville State and earned his second OVC Player of the Week honor Monday. The 6-6 guard made 32 game appearances last season, emerging as a valuable two-way player for Belmont.

 

Junior Nick Muszynski (Pickerington, Ohio) recorded his 67th career - and 16th consecutive - double figure scoring game vs. Eastern Illinois, with 10 points. The 6-11 center is a two-time First Team All-OVC selection. Muszynski scored a season-high 26 points vs. Southeast Missouri, and is on pace to challenge Evan Bradds' NCAA Division I era career scoring record (1,921 points).

Junior Grayson Murphy (Franklin, Tenn.) had nine rebounds, six assists and three steals vs. Eastern Illinois. The reigning OVC Defensive Player of the Year ranks fourth in the OVC in rebounding (7.9 rpg) and is on pace to threaten OVC career records in assists and steals. Since the start of 2019-20, Murphy is the only player in America with at least 300 rebounds, 250 assists and 100 steals.

 

Junior Luke Smith (Knoxville, Tenn.) had 12 points vs. Eastern Illinois. Smith became the first player in Belmont's NCAA Division I era to score 100 or more points in his first five games.

The 6-0 guard leads the OVC in seven statistical categories, and ranks seventh in the league in scoring (14.8 ppg).

He ranks fifth nationally in steals and sixth in 3-point field goals.

Smith was named DC Paradise Jam Most Valuable Player and Dec. 14 became the first player in nearly three years to earn OVC Player of the Week and OVC Newcomer of the Week honors the same week.

The Belmont bench has been highly productive of late, scoring 282 points in OVC play. Wood, freshman Even Brauns (Iowa City, Iowa), sophomore EJ Bellinger (St. Peters, Mo.) and freshman Michael Shanks (Bentonville, Ark.) have each tallied new career highs in scoring during the stretch.

2012 Belmont graduate Drew Hanlen is a native of St. Louis. As CEO of Pure Sweat Basketball, Hanlen has become one of the most respected player development consultants and strategic skills coaches in the NBA. His clients include Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum, Zach LaVine, Bradley Beal, RJ Barrett, Kelly Oubre, Jordan Clarkson and former teammate and Belmont All-American Ian Clark ('13).

SIU Edwardsville 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