Box Score EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - - Behind career nights from Grayson Murphy and Luke Smith, Belmont University men's basketball defeated SIUE, 80-64, Monday night.
Murphy delivered his second career triple-double with 11 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists while Smith scored 17 of his season-high 23 points in the first half.
A Smith 3-pointer and a Ben Sheppard basket gave Belmont a 12-5 lead six minutes in.
Following a DeeJuan Pruitt conventional 3-point play, Smith scored eight consecutive points to increase the Belmont lead to 37-25 with 3:27 left in the first half.
Smith added two more 3-point field goals in the final two minutes of the half as Belmont led 46-32 at halftime.
Belmont shot 46 percent (15-of-33) from the field in the opening 20 minutes - including 8-of-19 from 3-point distance - and committed only two turnovers.
In a game characterized by spirited, physical play, neither team could find a true offensive rhythm.
SIUE got as close as 61-52 on a Shamar Wright basket, but eight points from Will Richard and five clutch points from JaCobi Wood pushed the margin back to 18, 76-58, with 5:18 remaining.
All told, Belmont shot 51 percent (30-of-59) from the field; SIUE entered play 31st nationally in field goal percentage defense holding its opposition to 39 percent shooting.
Belmont forced 20 turnovers and held SIUE to three second chance points.
Murphy added five steals.
Richard had 19 points, four rebounds, three assists and three steals, while Sheppard scored 13.
Pruitt led SIUE (7-9, 1-2 OVC) with 14 points.
Belmont (14-4, 4-1 OVC) returns to game action Thursday at Morehead State.
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
