Men's Basketball Hosts Murray State Tuesday at the Curb

Belmont vs. Murray State
Tuesday, Jan. 17 | 8 p.m. CT
Curb Event Center | Nashville, Tenn.
CBS Sports Network | Belmont Bruins Radio on iHeartRadio | Live Stats | Game Notes (PDF)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont University men's basketball returns to game action Tuesday vs. Murray State.

The Bruins defeated Northern Iowa Saturday. Belmont shot 51 percent from the field and had four double figure scorers.

Senior Ben Sheppard is building off his all-conference season a year ago and has established himself as one of the most complete players in college basketball. The Atlanta native ranks among MVC leaders in nine statistical categories, including third in scoring, ninth in steals per game and 10th in assists per game. He had 22 points vs. Northern Iowa.

Keishawn Davidson had a season-high 10 assists vs. Missouri State, one of only four MVC players to record double figure assists in a game this season. 
 
Davidson was named Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week Dec. 19. He currently ranks among MVC leaders in assists per game and assist-turnover ratio.
 
Freshman Cade Tyson has made an instant impact on both ends of the floor for the Bruins, currently leading the MVC in scoring among freshmen (12.9 ppg). Tyson scored a season-high 20 points vs. Missouri State and has scored in double figures in 14 of his 18 game appearances. He had 10 points vs. Northern Iowa.

Ja'Kobi Gillespie currently ranks seventh in the MVC in steals. His six steals vs. George Mason remains the conference single-game standard. Gillespie had 14 points and four assists vs. Northern Iowa and 15 points and six assists at Valparaiso.

Graduate student Drew Friberg is third on the team in scoring at 12.7 points per game. He scored a career-high 24 points at Georgia State and recorded 15 points and six rebounds vs. Northern Iowa. Friberg leads the MVC with 65 3-point field goals.
 
After scoring a season-high 13 points in Belmont's victory over Howard, junior Even Brauns had double figure scoring games at UIC, vs. Missouri State and at Valparaiso. Brauns has 10 blocked shots over his last four games and he ranks 12th in the MVC in offensive rebounding.

What's Bruin

• The Bruins went 25-8 last season in earning an at-large bid to the Postseason NIT.
• After having one of the most experienced teams in college basketball in 2021-22, Belmont lost seven of its top eight scorers from last year's team, most notably program legends Grayson Murphy - the all-time leader in assists and steals in Ohio Valley Conference history - and Nick Muszynski.
• Belmont welcomes nine newcomers, including redshirt freshman Isaiah Walker, graduate transfer Drew Friberg and three-year Tennessee Tech starter Keishawn Davidson.
• Belmont's 77 victories over the last three seasons ranks fifth nationally (Gonzaga, Kansas, Houston, Baylor; entering 2022-23).
• Belmont has posted 326 conference wins since 2003 (includes tournament), second to Gonzaga nationally.
• Belmont's 402 victories since 2007 leads the state of Tennessee - including Tennessee, Memphis and Vanderbilt.
• Belmont has won 20+ games and earned postseason play 15 of the last 17 years. That includes NCAA Tournament appearances in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2019 & 2020.
• Belmont has won 20 conference championships (eight tournament, 12 regular season) since 2006. Only Gonzaga and Kansas have won more conference championships over that span.
• Belmont is the only school in the nation to win 20 or more games seven consecutive seasons in men's and women's basketball.
• Belmont has been ranked in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 for 18 consecutive seasons, dating back to 2006. The Bruins were No. 21 in the Mid-Major Top 25 preseason poll.
• Belmont won an OVC-record 30 consecutive conference games from Jan. 30, 2020-Feb. 24, 2021.
• Belmont went a league-best 145-27 (.843) in Ohio Valley Conference conference games from 2013-22 (81-5 home, 64-22 away).
• Belmont has received national poll votes in 11 of the last 12 seasons.
• Belmont will play up to 13 games vs. teams who earned postseason play in 2021-22, and up to 17 games vs. team who were Q1/Q2 in the final 2021-22 NET rankings.

This marks the 24th meeting between Belmont and Murray State. Belmont holds a 12-11 series lead. Belmont won 11 of 18 meetings in OVC play.

Belmont director of basketball operations Kerron Johnson ('13) sank the game-tying and game-winning shots to lift Belmont over Murray State in the 2013 OVC Championship and into the 2013 NCAA Tournament.

Belmont assistant coach Tyler Holloway was a four-year letterwinner at Murray State from 2006-09. Holloway scored 1,083 career points, and played three seasons for former Murray State head coach Steve Prohm when Prohm served as an assistant coach to Billy Kennedy.

Belmont and Murray State played in five OVC Championship games in their 10 years together in the league. Belmont won three of the five championship games.

Belmont and Murray State have a combined 21 newcomers.

Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network and online via fuboTV. The live play-by-play of Steve Layman can be heard on Belmont Bruins Radio on iHeartRadio. In-game updates will be available via Twitter @BelmontMBB.

Fans are encouraged to wear red and Belmont students will receive a signature red T-shirt while supplies last.

SATCO will serve as the Belmont game sponsor.

Belmont season tickets, which include the entire men's and women's basketball home schedule, are on sale now at BelmontBruins.com/Tickets, in addition to Puckett's flex packs, mini plans, single-game tickets and group experiences. Fans can also call or text 615.460.BALL (2255).

To become a Bruin Club member, contact Russell Grimm at (615) 460-5668 or russell.grimm@belmont.edu.

Stay up to date with all of Belmont's athletic programs via the official app of the Belmont Bruins, available both in the Apple App Store and on Google Play.

Belmont University men's basketball has earned postseason invitations 15 of the last 17 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 five NCAA Division I programs outside the Power 5 to post Top 100 rankings 12 consecutive seasons (Gonzaga, Saint Mary's (CA), San Diego State, Wichita State). Belmont University men's basketball boasts an NCAA-leading 19 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