Men's Basketball 12/6/2021 12:00:00 AM

Saint Louis Preview

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont University men's basketball returns to action Tuesday at Saint Louis.

Will Richard led four Bruins in double figures with 23 points Sunday.

What's Bruin

Belmont defeated Samford, 85-73, Sunday.
Grayson Murphy ranks fourth in assists and ninth in steals among all active players in college basketball. The 6-3 guard went over 1,000 career points on a steal and score in the second half of Belmont's victory over Furman. Murphy is on pace to become the Ohio Valley Conference career leader in assists and steals.
Nick Muszynski scored 12 points Sunday. The 6-11 center, named to the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Lou Henson Award watch lists, averaged 24.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.3 blocked shots per game in the ESPN Events Invitational in earning All-Tournament Team honors.
Luke Smith had 15 points, four assists and three steals Sunday. He scored a team-high 20 points 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.
Ben Sheppard scored a career-high 25 points vs. Iona. Sheppard is the only Belmont player to score in double figures in every game this season. The 6-6 guard has emerged as Belmont's top two-way player.
JaCobi Wood scored a season-high 17 points vs. Lipscomb and scored nine points in a 90-second span vs. Iona.. The 6-2 guard had 20 double figure scoring games last season, including a career-high 21 points in his debut vs. Howard.
Former Belmont guard Drew Hanlen ('12) 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, Jordan Clarkson, Kelly Oubre, and former teammate and Belmont All-American Ian Clark ('13). Hanlen's sister, Ashley, played basketball at Saint Louis.
EJ Bellinger is a native of St. Peters, Missouri, where he starred at Fort Zumwalt South High School. Bellinger averaged 25.5 points per game as a senior, where he was named Missouri Class 5A All-State and St. Louis All-Metro by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Beginning next season, Belmont will return to St. Louis each March for the Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball championship.
Former Belmont Baseball infielder Patrick 'Packy' Elkins is a member of the St, Louis Cardinals' coaching staff as a run production coach.
Belmont went 26-4 last season, claiming its 12th regular season conference championship in 16 years, seventh in nine years of OVC membership. The Bruins entered Selection Sunday with the most wins in America (with Gonzaga).
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, 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 third meeting between Belmont and Saint Louis.

Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on NBCSports.com, the NBC Sports app and NBC Sports Chicago Plus. The live play-by-play of Steve Layman 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

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Players Mentioned

#5 EJ Bellinger: G; 6' 4"; Junior; Fort Zumwalt South HS

#2 Grayson Murphy: G; 6' 3"; Graduate Student; Independence HS

#33 Nick Muszynski: C; 6' 11"; Graduate Student; St. Charles Prep

#4 Will Richard: G; 6' 5"; Freshman; Woodward Academy

#22 Ben Sheppard: G; 6' 6"; Junior; Greater Atlanta Christian

#3 Luke Smith: G; 6' 0"; Graduate Student; The University of the South

#24 JaCobi Wood: G; 6' 2"; Sophomore; Cleveland HS

Players Mentioned

#5 EJ Bellinger
: 6' 4"; Junior; Fort Zumwalt South HS
: G

#2 Grayson Murphy
: 6' 3"; Graduate Student; Independence HS
: G

#33 Nick Muszynski
: 6' 11"; Graduate Student; St. Charles Prep
: C

#4 Will Richard
: 6' 5"; Freshman; Woodward Academy
: G

#22 Ben Sheppard
: 6' 6"; Junior; Greater Atlanta Christian
: G

#3 Luke Smith
: 6' 0"; Graduate Student; The University of the South
: G

#24 JaCobi Wood
: 6' 2"; Sophomore; Cleveland HS
: G