NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Behind its most complete performance of the season, Belmont University men's basketball defeated Samford, 79-56, Wednesday from the Curb Event Center.
11 Bruins scored as the hosts forced 17 turnovers and scored 40 points in the paint.
Five of Samford's six losses coming in had been by one possession or overtime, so a fiercely-contested game against one of the Southern Conference favorites was anticipated.
Keishawn Davidson found
Even Brauns for a slam to cap an 11-0 run and give Belmont an 18-11 lead nine minutes in.
Logan Dye tied the score at 26 before the Bruins held Samford scoreless the final 4:32 of the first half.
Ja'Kobi Gillespie sparked Belmont as he and Davidson had a hand in 11 points during a 12-0 run to close the half.
Belmont led 38-26 at halftime.
Belmont shot 62 percent (16-for-26) from the field in the opening 20 minutes.
The Bruins also limited Samford, the top offensive rebounding team in the Southern Conference, to four offensive rebounds in the first half.
Davidson had 12 points and five assists in the first half.
Samford closed within 44-36 on a Jaron Rillie 3-pointer before Belmont strung together another sequence of defensive stops and scores.
Four consecutive 3-pointers from
Cade Tyson, Gillespie,
EJ Bellinger and
Drew Friberg over a two and a half minute span increased the Belmont lead to 20, 56-36, with 12:30 left.
Belmont maintained its poise and purpose defensively, forcing contested shots and turnovers.
An acrobatic layin from Tyson off a full court feed from
Ben Sheppard and another Sheppard 3-pointer made the score 67-43 with 6:47 remaining.
Belmont freshmen
Kyler Vanderjagt and
Aidan Braccia scored in the final minutes to close out the impressive team win.
All told, Belmont shot 59 percent (31-for-53) from the field – including 8-for-13 from 3-point distance in the second half.
Davidson and Tyson each scored 14 points to lead the Bruins.
Brauns scored 10.
Sheppard had nine points, nine rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Gillespie added eight points, four assists and four steals.
Rillie and Bubba Parham led Samford (6-7) with 15 points each.
Belmont (8-5, 1-1 MVC) returns to game action Dec. 28 vs. Bradley.
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