Jacksonville State Preview

The Bruins defeated Morehead State, 73-58, Feb. 13. Belmont limited Morehead State to 33 percent shooting and outscored the Eagles, 44-26, in points in the paint.

Junior Grayson Murphy (Franklin, Tenn.) had 13 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists and three steals vs. Morehead State, recording the first triple-double of Belmont's NCAA Division I era. Murphy was named Lute Olson National Player of the Week and OVC co-Player of the Week Monday. The reigning OVC Defensive Player of the Year ranks fifth in the OVC in rebounding (7.8 rpg), leads the league in defensive rebounding, and is on pace to threaten OVC career records in assists and steals. Since the start of 2019-20, Murphy is the only player in America with at least 300 rebounds, 250 assists and 100 steals. He ranks 11th among active NCAA career leaders in assists and 14th in steals.

 

Junior Nick Muszynski (Pickerington, Ohio) had 13 points, eight rebounds, four blocked shots and two steals vs. Morehead State. The 6-11 center has 73 career double figure scoring games and is a two-time First Team All-OVC selection. Muszynski scored a season-high 26 points vs. Southeast Missouri, and is on pace to challenge Evan Bradds' NCAA Division I era career scoring record (1,921 points). He was named to the Lute Olson Award and Lou Henson Award midseason watch lists earlier this season. Muszynski has 36 points, 22 rebounds, nine assists and five blocked shots in his last two meetings vs. Jacksonville State.

Sophomore Ben Sheppard (Atlanta, Ga.) had a career-high 25 points and 10 rebounds vs. Eastern Kentucky Feb. 11. Sheppard scored 22 points at Jacksonville State Jan. 16 and earned his second OVC Player of the Week honor Jan. 18. The 6-6 guard made 32 game appearances last season, emerging as a valuable two-way player for Belmont. 

 

Junior Luke Smith (Knoxville, Tenn.) had 10 points vs. Morehead State. Smith became the first player in Belmont's NCAA Division I era to score 100 or more points in his first five games.

The 6-0 guard leads the OVC in four statistical categories, and ranks 13th in the league in scoring (13.1 ppg).

He ranks fourth nationally in steals and 11th in 3-point field goals.

Smith was named DC Paradise Jam Most Valuable Player and Dec. 14 became the first player in nearly three years to earn OVC Player of the Week and OVC Newcomer of the Week honors the same week.

 

Freshman JaCobi Wood (Cleveland, Tenn.) had a game-high 19 points vs. Morehead State. He scored a career-high tying 21 points in 22 minutes vs. UT Martin. The dynamic playmaker has been named OVC Freshman of the Week twice, has posted 18 double figure scoring games and ranks third in the OVC in scoring among freshmen (12.6 ppg). Wood ranks ninth nationally in freshman scoring.

 

Junior Caleb Hollander (Nashville, Tenn.) scored a career-high 24 points at Austin Peay Jan. 28. The 6-8 forward has scored in double figures in five times in the last three weeks and is shooting 48 percent from the field in conference games.

The Belmont bench has been highly productive of late, scoring 493 points in OVC play, including 26 vs. Morehead State. Wood, freshman Even Brauns (Iowa City, Iowa), sophomore Mitch Listau (Waunakee, Wis.), sophomore EJ Bellinger (St. Peters, Mo.), sophomore Derek Sabin (Slinger, Wis.), freshman Frank Jakubicek (Cary, Ill.) and freshman Michael Shanks (Bentonville, Ark.) have each tallied new career highs in scoring during the stretch.

Belmont has strong ties to the state of Alabama; including all-time great Kerron Johnson (Huntsville) and assistant coaches Sean Rutigliano (UAH), Tyler Holloway (Decatur) and Mick Hedgepeth (Crossville).
Jacksonville State at Belmont Game Notes

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