Box Score EVANSVILLE, Ind. - - Behind a season-high 24 points from junior Luke Smith (Knoxville, Tenn.), Belmont University men's basketball defeated Jacksonville State, 72-69, Friday in the semifinal round of the 2021 OVC Basketball Championship.
Belmont rode active, inspired defense in turning 17 Jacksonville State turnovers into 25 points.
Smith scored 11 first-half points as Belmont led 36-28 at halftime.
A conventional 3-point play from junior Grayson Murphy (Franklin, Tenn.) increased the lead to 41-28 with 16:56 remaining.
Jacksonville State would use an 11-0 run to close within two, before junior Tate Pierson (Brentwood, Tenn.) answered with a baseline 3-pointer.
It fueled a 13-2 Belmont run, as a Smith 3-pointer gave Belmont a 54-41 lead with 9:34 left.
Though Belmont, one of the national leaders in lowest defensive foul rate, had to navigate early team fouls in the second half, scores from junior Nick Muszynski (Pickerington, Ohio) and Smith enabled Belmont to maintain a double-figure lead.
Each time Belmont appeared poised to break free, a promising scoring opportunity would rim out and Jacksonville State would swing momentum.
Sophomore Ben Sheppard (Atlanta, Ga.) led the way as Belmont kept Jacksonville State All-OVC First Team guard Darian Adams without a made field goal for the first 33 minutes of the game.
Adams would score five points to close the margin to 63-59 with 3:18 left.
Sheppard, Smith and Muszynski made six consecutive free throws as Belmont extended the lead to eight, 67-59, with 2:46 left.
After a Pierson free throw made the score 71-63 with 1:39 to go, a Jalen Finch basket and two rare Belmont free throw misses gave Jacksonville State another opportunity.
Adams scored to make the score 71-67 with 32 seconds left.
Belmont would then free Smith facing extended Jacksonville State pressure defense, but a deflected ball went out of bounds and possession was awarded to the Gamecocks.
Amanze Ngumezi scored a second chance basket to close the margin to two, 71-69, with 14 seconds left.
Belmont inbounded to Pierson, who was fouled with 12 seconds remaining.
Pierson sank the first of two free throws to increase the Belmont lead to three, but his second free throw rimmed off.
Belmont defended the final Jacksonville State possession well, and Adams' deep, contested 3-pointer missed and Murphy secured the rebound as time expired.
All told, Belmont shot 40 percent from the field and handed out 17 assists.
Smith led three Bruins in double figures. Murphy had 14 points, six rebounds, a season-high 12 assists and three steals.
Muszynski had 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Ngumezi led Jacksonville State (18-9) with 20 points.
Belmont (26-3) advances to the OVC Championship Saturday vs. Morehead State or Eastern Kentucky.
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 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 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
