Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont University men's basketball defeated Southeast Missouri, 102-62, Thursday night from the Curb Event Center.
It marked career victory No. 200 for Belmont head coach Casey Alexander, who is 100-23 in his last 123 games over the last four-plus seasons.
While a winter storm in Nashville and the surrounding area delivered snow and ice, it was Belmont who delivered an unrelenting combination of high percentage shots and purposeful defense.
Will Richard highlighted a 6-0 Belmont run in the opening 65 seconds of the game.
Southeast Missouri got back into the game behind the shooting of Eric Reed, Jr., taking a momentary 21-19 lead eight minutes in.
But from there, Belmont unleashed a 16-0 run to take control.
Ben Sheppard and Grayson Murphy extended the margin to 37-23 with 7:26 left in the first half.
Belmont limited Southeast Missouri to two field goals over a 10-minute stretch as baskets from Richard, Sheppard, Nick Muszynski and Michael Shanks made the score 50-28.
Belmont led 57-33 at halftime.
Belmont shot 65 percent (23-of-35) from the field in the opening 20 minutes.
Muszynski scored five consecutive points to open the second half as Belmont was able to feature all 12 players in uniform.
JaCobi Wood, Even Brauns and EJ Bellinger assumed the scoring torch in the second half.
A Bellinger layin off an assist from Frank Jakubicek made the score 98-52 with 3:29 remaining.
All told, Belmont shot 60 percent (42-of-70) from the field.
The Bruins set a new Curb Event Center single-game record with 42 made field goals.
Belmont outrebounded Southeast Missouri, 41-29, and forced 15 turnovers.
Muszynski and Richard led five Bruins in double figures with 17 points each.
Sheppard scored 16, while Murphy had 13 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two blocked shots.
Bellinger scored a career-high 10.
Reed, Jr. led Southeast Missouri (6-10, 1-2 OVC) with 22 points, all in the first half.
Belmont (11-3, 1-0 OVC) returns to game action Saturday at UT Martin.
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
