Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Behind 20 points from Ben Sheppard, Belmont University men's basketball defeated SIUE, 73-62, Saturday from the Curb Event Center.
Sheppard added five of Belmont's season-high 20 steals as Belmont led virtually wire-to-wire.
Belmont has won 10 consecutive games, 19 of its last 21 overall, and improves to 80-5 all-time in Ohio Valley Conference home games.
A Sheppard steal and acrobatic assist to Will Richard for an emphatic dunk capped an 8-0 run and gave Belmont a 21-8 lead less than eight minutes in.
Consecutive baskets from Grayson Murphy and Richard extended the margin to 14, 34-20, with 3:48 left in the first half.
SIUE, which entered play 346th nationally in 3-point field goal percentage and 317th in 3-point reliance, got back-to-back 3-pointers from DeeJuan Pruitt and Courtney Carter, the latter of which was an off-balanced, banked buzzer beater to get SIUE within 37-32 at halftime.
Belmont got 50 percent (15-of-30) from the field in the opening 20 minutes and forced 12 turnovers.
Both teams battled foul trouble throughout the game, as five Nick Muszynski points and a Sheppard conventional 3-point play gave Belmont a 57-46 lead with 9:38 remaining.
As Belmont labored to find its traditional 3-point shooting range, SIUE continued to go off script from long distance as a contested Shaun Doss Jr. 3-pointer sparked another response.
However a Luke Smith triple, a Richard fast break basket and one Frank Jakubicek free throw gave the Bruins a 66-59 lead with 3:03 left.
Richard and Sheppard added open court scores as Belmont limited SIUE to one field goal over the final 5:39.
All told, Belmont shot 44 percent (25-of-57) from the field.
Muszynski scored 18 points, while Richard had 18 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Murphy had eight points, six rebounds and six steals.
Doss Jr. led SIUE (9-18, 3-12 OVC) with 16 points.
Belmont became the first program in America to secure 20 or more victories in 12 consecutive seasons; Gonzaga and Kansas have since achieved, while Oregon has the opportunity to reach the standard.
Belmont (24-5, 14-2 OVC) returns to game action Thursday at [21/21] Murray State.
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
