Belmont at [rv/rv] LSU
Monday, Nov. 22 | 7 p.m.
Pete Maravich Assembly Center | Baton Rouge, La.
SEC Network+/ESPN+ | Bruin Sports Network | Live Stats | Game Notes
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont University men's basketball returns to game action Monday at [rv/rv] LSU.
Belmont defeated Kennesaw State, 97-78, Friday.
What's Bruin
- Nick Muszynski scored a game-high 25 points and added six rebounds and two blocked shots. The 6-11 center, named to the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Lou Henson Award watch lists, is on pace to challenge Evan Bradds' NCAA Division I era career scoring record (1,921 points).
- Grayson Murphy had five points, four rebounds and six assists at Kennesaw State. The 6-3 guard went over 1,000 career points vs. Furman and is on pace to become the Ohio Valley Conference career leader in assists and steals.
- Will Richard had 17 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals at Kennesaw State. The 6-5 guard has posted three consecutive double figure scoring games.
- Ben Sheppard had 14 points, five rebounds and three assists at Kennesaw State. The 6-6 guard also held Kennesaw State guard Spencer Rodgers to 2-of-11 shooting. Sheppard scored a career-high 25 points in Belmont's first game of the season.
- Luke Smith scored a team-high 20 points in Belmont's victory vs. Furman. The 6-0 guard was named Preseason All-OVC after earning OVC All-Newcomer Team and DC Paradise Jam Most Valuable Player honors last season. Smith has 1,387 career points and 70 career double figure scoring games.
- JaCobi Wood handed out four assists at Kennesaw State after scoring 13 points vs. Furman. The 6-2 guard had 20 double figure scoring games last season, including a career-high 21 points in his debut vs. Howard.
- Michael Shanks scored a career-high 16 points at Kennesaw State. The 6-6 forward went 6-of-8 from the field.
- Belmont returns 97 percent of its offensive production and minutes from last season. All-OVC performers Nick Muszynski and Grayson Murphy stand among the most accomplished players at their respective positions in college basketball.
- Belmont and LSU were an eyelash away from playing in the Round of 32 in the 2019 NCAA Tournament in Jacksonville, Florida. Maryland's Eric Ayala tipped away Belmont's potential game-winning backdoor pass and the Terrapins advanced.
- Former Belmont All-American Evan Bradds ('17) is a player enhancement coach with the Boston Celtics, where he worked with former LSU guard Tremont Waters.
- Belmont head coach Casey Alexander and LSU head coach Will Wade both grew up in Nashville, Tennessee. Alexander (Brentwood Academy) and Wade (Franklin Road Academy) attended high school five miles apart. Alexander and Wade coached against each other in 2015, when Alexander was at Lipscomb and Wade was at Chattanooga.
- Belmont has earned four victories over Southeastern Conference teams: Missouri, Alabama, Georgia and Vanderbilt.
- Belmont, Gonzaga and Buffalo are the only three programs outside the power conferences to win NCAA Tournament games in men's and women's basketball since 2019.
- Belmont and BYU were the only two programs outside the power conferences to receive Preseason AP Top 25 poll votes in men's and women's basketball.
- Belmont will join the Missouri Valley Conference July 1, 2022.
This marks the second meeting between Belmont and LSU. The Tigers won, 82-63, Dec. 29, 1998 at Pete Maravich Assembly Center. It was Belmont's third season as an NCAA Division I member.
Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast SEC Network+, ESPN+ and the ESPN app. The live play-by-play 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 14 of the last 16 seasons, including nine berths to the NCAA Tournament. The Bruins have won 20 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 11 consecutive seasons (BYU, Gonzaga, Saint Mary's (CA), San Diego State, Wichita State). Belmont is one of only four NCAA Division I programs to win 19 or more games 16 consecutive seasons (Gonzaga, Kansas, San Diego State). Belmont University men's basketball boasts an NCAA-leading 18 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
