Box Score
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - - Behind a career-high 23 points and nine rebounds from Will Richard, Belmont University men's basketball defeated Samford, 85-73, Sunday.
Richard went 6-of-12 from the field, 9-of-10 from the free throw line and added two blocked shots and two steals.
Belmont scored the first seven points of the game and never looked back.
The Bruins unleashed relentless defensive pressure in the first half, as an avalanche of deflections and steals led to open court opportunities.
A transition 3-pointer from JaCobi Wood made the score 18-5 six minutes in.
After Jaron Rillie got Samford within 22-14, Luke Smith capped a 13-0 Belmont run to increase the margin to 21, 35-14, with four minutes left in the first half.
Belmont led 46-25 at halftime.
Belmont forced 15 first-half turnovers, outscoring Samford, 28-4, in the paint in the opening 20 minutes.
Richard and Smith each made 3-pointers in the opening 90 seconds of the second half.
Ques Glover and Jermaine Marshall gave Samford a bit of new life, but a backdoor layin from Ben Sheppard and consecutive 3-pointers from Smith and Caleb Hollander enabled Belmont to reestablish a 75-54 lead with 6:06 remaining.
All told, Belmont shot 53 percent (28-of-53) from the field – including 10-of-24 from 3-point distance.
In addition to Richard, Smith had 15 points, four assists and three steals.
Sheppard had 13 points, four assists and three steals while Nick Muszynski had 12.
Grayson Murphy flirted with his second career triple-double before finishing with eight points, seven rebounds, six assists and six steals.
Glover and Marshall each had 22 points for Samford (6-2).
Belmont (7-3) returns to game action Tuesday at Saint Louis.
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
