Box Score CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. - - Behind 21 points and six rebounds from Nick Muszynski, Belmont University men's basketball defeated Southeast Missouri, 81-72, Saturday.
Muszynski went 6-of-11 from the field and 9-of-10 from the free throw line.
Will Richard scored seven points during a 9-0 run as Belmont led 16-12 nine and a half minutes in.
Luke Smith scores and a determined basket from Michael Shanks increased the margin to nine, 35-26.
Southeast Missouri scored nine of the final 11 points of the first half as Belmont led 37-35 at halftime.
Belmont shot 45 percent (14-of-31) from the field in the opening minutes - including 4-of-15 from 3-point distance.
The Bruins forced eight first-half turnovers.
Grayson Murphy sparked increased defensive activity early in the second half, as his tip-ahead pass to Richard for a dunk and his own steal and score gave Belmont a 52-45 lead with 12:27 left.
While Belmont established the paint and attacked the rim with precision passing and drives, the Bruins were unable to provide their traditional 3-point shooting to complement the offense.
Four Manny Patterson points got Southeast Missouri within 54-51 with 10:18 left.
Murphy and Muszynski would answer with scores as Belmont methodically built a working margin.
Both teams managed fouls in the second half as Murphy seemingly embraced the physical play.
His fadeaway jumpshot in the lane made the score 66-56 with 6:10 remaining.
As Patterson and Eric Reed kept Southeast Missouri within reach, a Tate Pierson 3-pointer and five Ben Sheppard points reasserted a 10-point lead, 74-64, with 3:28 left.
Reed cut the margin to seven before Belmont got an important defensive stop with under three minutes remaining.
Smith would then sink a contested 3-pointer at the end of the shot clock to give Belmont a 77-67 lead with 2:15 left.
All told, Belmont shot 49 percent (28-of-57) from the field, including 54 percent in the second half.
Belmont scored 23 points off 16 Southeast Missouri turnovers.
Muszynski led five Belmont players in double figures.
Smith had 14 points, seven assists and two steals, while Sheppard had 12 points, five rebounds and two steals.
Richard scored 11 points and grabbed seven rebounds.
Murphy had 10 points, eight rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Patterson led Southeast Missouri (11-15, 6-7 OVC) with 20 points.
Belmont, which improves to 12-0 all-time vs. Southeast Missouri, has won eight consecutive games.
Belmont (22-5, 12-2 OVC) returns to game action Thursday vs. Eastern Illinois.
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 has won 20 or more games in 12 consecutive seasons (Gonzaga, Kansas, Oregon). 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 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
