Men's Basketball Hosts Georgia State Monday to Open Season

Belmont vs. Georgia State
Monday, Nov. 6 | 6:30 p.m.
Curb Event Center | Nashville, Tenn.
 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont University men's basketball hosts Georgia State Monday at the Curb Event Center to open the 2023-24 season.

The Bruins feature a blend of youth and experience – most notably senior captain Keishawn Davidson and graduate student Jayce Willingham.

Sophomores Cade Tyson and Ja'Kobi Gillespie earned postseason honors from the Missouri Valley Conference last season, while fellow sophomore Malik Dia joins the program after playing his freshman season at Vanderbilt.

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.

Sheppard, an Atlanta native, helped lead Belmont to victory at Georgia State last season.

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.
• Davidson ranks fifth among active NCAA players in career assists.
• 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 410 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 19 consecutive seasons, dating back to 2006. The Bruins are receiving votes in the Mid-Major Top 25 preseason poll.
• 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.
• Belmont freshmen Brigham Rogers and Keith Robbins are Georgia natives.
• Belmont won last season's opener in electrifying fashion, as Tyson hit a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer. The Bruins defeated Ohio, 70-69, as Tyson's shot made ESPN SportsCenter No. 1 SCTop10 plays.

This marks the 13th meeting between Belmont and Georgia State. Belmont leads the series, 7-5.

The Bruins won, 68-66, Nov. 27, 2022.

The Bruins and Panthers were conference foes in the Atlantic Sun Conference from 2001-05.

Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. CT from the Curb Event Center. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and the ESPN app. 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.

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.

Truist will serve as game sponsor, proudly presenting Military Appreciation Night.

All active and retired military can receive free admission by showing their military ID at the box office on gameday. 

Truist was recently announced as the Official Bank of Belmont Athletics. To learn more about the expanded partnership, click here.
 
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