Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Behind a career-high 25 points and 10 rebounds from sophomore Ben Sheppard (Atlanta, Ga.), Belmont University men's basketball defeated Eastern Kentucky, 92-74, Thursday.
Belmont won its 18th consecutive game and became the first program in America to win 21 games this season.
Sheppard and junior Caleb Hollander (Nashville, Tenn.) combined to score 11 points in the first 2:45 as Belmont seized a 15-5 lead.
Two more Sheppard 3-pointers extended the lead to 32-19 as Belmont led by double figures the final 31 minutes of the game.
Belmont shot 58 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes in leading 50-32 at halftime.
Juniors Grayson Murphy (Franklin, Tenn.) and Luke Smith (Knoxville, Tenn.) would spearhead Belmont, as it broke Eastern Kentucky pressure defense for scores.
A Devontae Blanton basket made the score 61-49 with 13:10 remaining before junior Nick Muszynski (Pickerington, Ohio) capped a 12-2 Belmont run to extend the margin to 22, 73-51, with 10:34 left.
All told, Belmont shot 53 percent (33-of-62) from the field - including 12-of-28 from 3-point distance.
Belmont handed out 22 assists on 33 made field goals, scored 40 points in the paint, and outrebounded Eastern Kentucky, 42-31.
Sheppard led four Bruins in double figures with 25 points. Muszynski had 15 points and seven rebounds while Hollander added 14.
Freshman JaCobi Wood (Cleveland, Tenn.) scored 11.
Cheikh Faye led Eastern Kentucky (15-5, 9-4 OVC) with 12 points.
Belmont has won 33 of its last 34 games and 27 consecutive conference games.
Belmont has also won an NCAA-best 20 consecutive road/neutral games.
Belmont (21-1, 15-0 OVC) returns to game action Saturday vs. Morehead State.
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
