Eastern Illinois Preview

Belmont at Eastern Illinois
Monday, Jan. 24 | 5 p.m. CT
Lantz Arena | Charleston, Ill.
ESPN+ | Bruin Sports Network | Live Stats | Game Notes

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont University men's basketball returns to game action Monday at Eastern Illinois.

Ben Sheppard scored a game-high 18 points Thursday.

• Belmont dropped an 83-74 decision at Morehead State Thursday.
• Grayson Murphy ranks third in assists and ninth in steals among all active players in college basketball. He is one of only five active players to record multiple triple-doubles. The 6-3 guard went over 1,000 career points on a steal and score in the second half vs. Furman. Murphy is on pace to become the Ohio Valley Conference career leader in assists and steals.
• Luke Smith has 78 career double figure scoring games, including 10 points at Morehead State. 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. Smith had a team-high 20 points vs. Furman. He ranks among OVC leaders in assist-to-turnover ratio.
• Nick Muszynski has 93 career double figure scoring games. The 6-11 center, named to the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award Watch List, 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. With 1,657 points, Muszynski is on pace to challenge Evan Bradds' NCAA Division I era career scoring record (1,921 points). He and Murphy were named to the Lou Henson Player of the Year Award Midseason Watch List. Muszynski had 25 points, 16 rebounds, five assists and two blocked shots vs. Eastern Illinois (1/4/20).
• Ben Sheppard scored a career-high 25 points vs. Iona. Sheppard scored in double figures in each of Belmont's first 10 games and has a team-leading 18 double figure scoring games this season. The 6-6 guard has emerged as Belmont's top two-way player.
• Will Richard had 13 points, seven rebounds, three assists and three steals at Morehead State. He recorded 11 points and a career-high 14 rebounds vs. Drake, becoming one of the fastest Belmont players to post a double-double. Richard ranks among OVC freshmen leaders in scoring and rebounding.
• JaCobi Wood had seven points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals at SIUE and had 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 vs. UT Martin. Wood scored 17 points in 18 minutes vs. Eastern Illinois last season (1/21/21).
• Belmont handed out 45 assists in two victories over Eastern Illinois last season. The Bruins had 12 scorers in the victory at Eastern Illinois.
• Belmont delivered one of its finest performances of the NCAA Division I era vs. Eastern Illinois in the 2015 OVC Tournament Quarterfinal, opening the game on a 15-0 run, shooting 62 percent from the field - including 16-for-27 from 3-point distance - en route to a 97-64 victory.
• The state of Illinois brought Belmont former All-OVC forward Amanze Egekeze ('18, Lake in the Hills) and Frank Jakubicek (Cary).
• 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.