Men's Basketball Returns to Action in Cathedral Classic

?? @CaseyAlexander_ @AidanBraccia preview Cathedral Classic

?? https://t.co/7rmEBXHeLJ#ItsBruinTime pic.twitter.com/aCqh8MdxUL

— Belmont Basketball (@BelmontMBB) November 23, 2023

 
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont University men's basketball returns to game action Nov. 24-26 in the Cathedral of College Basketball Classic.
 
Malik Dia had a game-high 21 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals at Arizona. Dia ranks among Missouri Valley Conference leaders in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots.
 
Ja'Kobi Gillespie leads the MVC in steals. He tied the Curb Event Center record with seven steals vs. Berry.
 
Kyler Vanderjagt has scored 28 points over his last three games on 56 percent shooting.

Senior Keishawn Davidson ranks ninth in career assists (514) among active players NCAA Division I players.

Belmont turns the page after graduating program standout and Indiana Pacers guard Ben Sheppard and sharpshooting forward Drew Friberg, among others. Sheppard and Friberg combined to make 177 3-point field goals last season, ranking among national leaders.

What's Bruin

• The Bruins went 21-11 last season, placing third in their inaugural season in the Missouri Valley Conference.
• Isaiah Walker is the lone Bruin with more than two years of experience with the program.
• Belmont, Gonzaga, Kansas and San Diego State are the only NCAA Division I programs to win 19 or more games 18 consecutive seasons.
• Belmont, Gonzaga, Kansas and Oregon are the only NCAA Division I programs to win 20 or more games 13 consecutive seasons.
• Belmont's 412 victories since 2007 leads the state of Tennessee - including Tennessee, Memphis and Vanderbilt.
• Belmont has been a postseason fixture the last two decades. 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 among select programs with two or more first-round selections in the NBA Draft over the last five years (Ben Sheppard, Dylan Windler).
• Belmont is the only school in the nation to win 20 or more games eight consecutive seasons in men's and women's basketball.
• Belmont, Gonzaga, Princeton and Buffalo are the only three programs outside the power conferences to win NCAA Tournament games in men's and women's basketball since 2019.
• Since 2010, Belmont (2019) and Iona (2012) are the only two program to earn NCAA Tournament at-large bids from traditional one-bid leagues.
• Belmont has been ranked in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 for 18 consecutive seasons, dating back to 2006.
• Belmont has received national poll votes in 11 of the last 13 seasons.
• Belmont will play up 13 games vs. teams who were Q1/Q2 in the final 2022-23 NET rankings.

This marks the first meeting for Belmont with Monmouth, Penn and Lafayette.
 
Belmont is 9-4 in MTE tournaments since Casey Alexander became head coach. This includes tournament victory in the 2021 Paradise Jam and a win at Boston College in the 2020 Gotham Classic.
 
2023 Belmont graduate student Drew Friberg is a native of State College, Pa. and earned his undergraduate degree from Princeton.
 
Former Belmont standout Drew Hanlen ('12) trains Philadelphia 76er star and NBA MVP Joel Embiid.
 
Belmont and Monmouth each had inaugural seasons in new conferences in 2022-23. Belmont in Missouri Valley Conference and Monmouth in the Coastal Athletic Association.
 
Monmouth head coach King Rice was an assistant coach at Vanderbilt (just blocks from the Belmont campus) from 2006-2011.
 
Belmont defeated Temple in the 2019 NCAA Tournament. Penn head coach Steve Donahue led Cornell to victory over the Owls in the 2010 NCAA Tournament.
 
Belmont assistant coach Sean Rutigliano coached in the Patriot League at Army West Point from 2010-14.

Games will be broadcast on ESPN+ and the ESPN app. The live play-by-play can be heard on Belmont Bruins Radio on iHeartRadio. In-game updates will be available via Twitter @BelmontMBB.

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, 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 been a postseason fixture the last two decades, 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 13 consecutive seasons (Gonzaga, Kansas, Oregon) and 19 or game games in 18 consecutive seasons (Gonzaga, Kansas, San Diego State). Belmont is among select programs with two or more first-round selections in the NBA Draft over the last five years (Ben Sheppard, Dylan Windler). 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