Men's Basketball Defeats Georgia State in Instant Classic

Hear from Sophomore @cade_tyson and HC @CaseyAlexander_ after a opening night victory???#ItsBruinTime pic.twitter.com/dVwUGD2QI7

— Belmont Basketball (@BelmontMBB) November 7, 2023

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Excitement. Drama. Winning.
 
All the ingredients Belmont Basketball has become known for were on full display Monday night as the Bruins defeated Georgia State, 89-87, from the Curb Event Center on the opening night of college basketball season.
 
In a riveting game featuring 11 ties, nine lead changes and a multitude of momentum swings, two free throws from Malik Dia with six seconds left provided Belmont the final margin.
 
Dwon Odom missed an off-balance 3-point attempt as time expired.
 
Georgia State, which featured 10 newcomers, harnessed the form of its recent Sun Belt Conference glory – including in 2022 when it led Gonzaga late into the second half of the NCAA Tournament.
 
While the visiting Panthers received an early boost from early 3-point field goals from frontcourt players Jamaine Mann and Jay'Den Turner, Belmont received a jaw-dropping inauguration from Dia.
 
Eight minutes in, Dia's steal and thunderous transition slam dunk over two Georgia State players sent the Belmont student section into a frenzy – and gave the Bruins a 17-16 lead.
 
Belmont got a four-point possession from Brigham Rogers and Isaiah Walker as both teams found an offensive stride midway through the first half.
 
Consecutive Lucas Taylor baskets gave Georgia State.a 36-29 lead with 6:07 lest in the half.
 
Dia, Ja'Kobi Gillespie and Cade Tyson gave Belmont strong production, as the Bruins closed the half on a 7-0 run.
 
A Gillespie drive and consecutive inside baskets from Dia gave Belmont a 47-45 halftime lead.
 
Belmont shot 50 percent (18-for-36) from the field in the opening 20 minutes – handing out 12 assists to only four turnovers.
 
Dia had 15 first-half points.
 
A Tyson 3-pointer and another Dia score off a Gillespie assist extended the lead to seven, 52-45, with 18:40 left.
 
But just as Belmont was string scores and defensive stops together – and building a working margin – Georgia State responded from an unlikely source.
 
Graduate transfer forward Leslie Nkereuwem scored six points in a 97-second span to get the Panthers within 54-53.
 
Belmont answered back with another Tyson 3-pointer and a conventional 3-point play from Dia, but Georgia State had recaptured its offensive rhythm.
 
Nkereuwem capped a 13-5 Georgia State run to give the visitors a 72-67 lead with 8:10 remaining.
 
Tyson continued his hot-shooting form to stabilize things for Belmont, but five straight Brenden Tucker points kept Georgia State ahead.
 
Trailing by six points with six minutes left, Belmont got a huge lift off the bench from graduate transfer Jayce Willingham.
 
A determined driving basket and a 3-pointer got the Bruins within two points, 79-77, with 4:38 to go.
 
Both teams were fighting through physical – and mental - fatigue – as practices and scrimmages could not simulate the physicality and intensity of the season opening game.
 
Following a defensive stop, Dia made a contested, turnaround jump shot to tie the score at 79 with 3:58 left.
 
After a Lucas Taylor score, Gillespie delivered two free throws, then a pinpoint assist to Willingham for a transition 3-point play as Belmont seized an 84-81 lead with 2:43 remaining.
 
Belmont secured another defensive rebound and extended the lead to five points with 2:18 left on two Tyson free throws.
 
However, a series of consecutive Nkereuwem baskets around a Turner steal tied the score at 87 with 1:12 left.
 
The unfortunate turn of events would continue for Belmont, as after a rare disjointed offensive possession characterized by miscommunication and misconnected passes, the Bruins endured a shot clock violation with 37 seconds remaining.
 
The Bruin defense would need to rise up.
 
Georgia State turned to its junior all-conference guard Odom, who worked for a clean mid-range look with 13 seconds left.
 
The shot rattled out.
 
On the ensuing rebound battle, multiple players from both teams had opportunities to gain possession before the ball squirted right back to Odom.
 
He shot again, this time a teardrop from the middle of the paint.
 
This shot attempt also rattled out, with Dia grabbing a tough rebound in traffic.
 
As players continued to battle for possession, Taylor was whistled for a foul with six seconds left.
 
Dia proceeded to make two free throws to give Belmont an 89-87 lead.
 
After the second free throw, Georgia State quickly inbounded the ball to Odom for the final possession of the game.
 
With Belmont hustling on defense - and the crowd on its feet – Odom sped into the frontcourt before elevating for a twisting 3-point attempt in front of the Georgia State bench.
 
The shot rimmed off as the horn sounded.
 
Remarkably, last season's game in Atlanta ended in similar fashion, as Odom missed a contested shot as time expired in a two-point Belmont victory.
 
All told, Belmont shot 53 percent (32-for-60) from the field – including 58 percent in the second half.
 
Tyson led three Bruins in double figures with a career-high 29 points.
 
Dia had a career-high 24 points, four rebounds and three blocked shots.
 
Gillespie added 17 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
 
Nkereuwem led Georgia State (0-1) with 14 points.
 
Belmont has won 19 of its last 20 season opening games at the Curb Event Center.
 
Belmont (1-0) returns to game action Friday, Nov. 10 at Furman. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. CT.
 
NOTES: Tyson has eclipsed his career-high point total in consecutive games; he had 24 points in the final game of the 2023 season … Brigham Rogers had five points and three rebounds in his college debut … Isaiah Walker had six rebounds and three assists … Keishawn Davidson had one turnover in 35 minutes … Willingham was a game-high plus-nine in 21 minutes … Belmont outscored Georgia State, 15-6, in fast break points … Belmont leads the overall series, 8-5.

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