Box Score
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Behind a season-high 17 points from JaCobi Wood, Belmont University men's basketball defeated Lipscomb, 94-65, Thursday from the Curb Event Center.
Belmont handed out 25 assists and made 17 3-point field goals in leading from start to finish.
Belmont made six 3-pointers in the opening seven minutes - including two consecutive from Wood which capped an 11-0 run and gave the hosts a 22-7 lead.
Lipscomb, which entered play leading the nation in effective field goal percentage and 3-point field goal percentage, was limited to 1-of-10 shooting from long distance in the first half.
Five points from Caleb Hollander pushed Belmont to a 47-26 halftime lead.
Six consecutive points from Nick Muszynski increased the margin to 62-36 with 14:50 left.
Belmont scored 21 points off 18 Lipscomb turnovers.
12 Bruins scored.
Wood led four Bruins in double figures, making five 3-point field goals.
Ben Sheppard, who electrified the exuberant Curb Event Center crowd with a memorable dunk in the second half, had 16 points, four rebounds and three assists.
Muszynski added 15 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots.
Luke Smith had 11 points and five assists, while Grayson Murphy had seven points, five rebounds, seven assists and five steals.
Jacob Ognacevic led Lipscomb (5-3) with 20 points.
Belmont has won 17 of the last 19 meetings in the series, which dates back to 1953.
Belmont (6-3) returns to game action Sunday at Samford.
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
