Box Score MARTIN, Tenn. - - Behind 20 points from Nick Muszynski, Belmont University men's basketball defeated UT Martin, 81-55, Saturday.
Muszynski went 10-of-12 from the field and added six rebounds, four assists and three blocked shots.
After four empty offensive possessions to open the game prompted a timeout from head coach Casey Alexander, Belmont responded with nine consecutive field goals.
A Ben Sheppard driving layin made the score 20-13 nine minutes in.
Strong bench contributions from Even Brauns and JaCobi Wood enabled Belmont to build a working margin, increasing the lead to 32-24 on a Brauns conventional 3-point play.
Belmont held UT Martin without a field goal for a five-minute stretch late in the first half, as defensive stops and hit-ahead passes from Grayson Murphy sparked the Bruins.
Consecutive offensive rebounds from Will Richard powered Belmont to a 42-31 halftime lead.
Belmont shot 62 percent (18-of-29) from the field in the opening 20 minutes.
A Richard steal set up Muszynski for a transition slam to open the second half, as Belmont used energized defense and rebounding to methodically pull away.
Five straight points from EJ Bellinger made the score 53-38 with 16:17 remaining.
Consecutive slams from Muszynski and Sheppard capped an 18-6 run and gave Belmont a 71-46 lead with 7:35 left.
All told, Belmont shot 61 percent (35-of-57) from the field – including 8-of-19 from 3-point distance.
The Bruins tied a season-high with 27 assists on 35 made field goals.
Belmont limited UT Martin to 36 percent shooting.
Sheppard had 13 points, five rebounds and two steals.
Murphy added 12 points, four rebounds and eight assists.
Chris Nix led UT Martin (6-9, 2-1 OVC) with 17 points.
Belmont (12-3, 2-0 OVC) returns to game action Thursday vs. Austin Peay.
With 20 points, Muszynski became the seventh player of Belmont's NCAA Division I era to eclipse 1,600 career points (Evan Bradds, Ian Clark, Wes Burtner, Justin Hare, Craig Bradshaw, Dylan Windler).
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
