Total Team Effort as Men's Basketball Wins at Middle Tennessee

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - - Behind 23 points from Ja'Kobi Gillespie and 22 from Malik Dia, Belmont University men's basketball defeated Middle Tennessee, 75-65, Saturday from the Murphy Center.
 
The game was delayed 32 minutes due to a line of severe weather that impacted areas of middle Tennessee, including Rutherford County.
 
Once play began, Gillespie had a hand in six of Belmont's first eight points as the Bruins seized early control.
 
Four points from Dia and one Cade Tyson free throw made the score 15-11 before Middle Tennessee rode the hot shooting of Elias King.
 
King scored 17 of Middle Tennessee's first 24 points as the hosts took a four-point lead midway through the first half.
 
From there, Belmont reasserted command on both ends of the floor, as active defense and a relentless commitment to score inside put the Bruins back on top.
 
After five Gillespie points, Isaiah Walker took and made Belmont's first 3-point attempt – over 15 minutes into the game.
 
Brigham Rogers capped the 10-0 run with an offensive rebound putback basket to give Belmont a 30-24 lead.
 
After another Walker 3-pointer and a dazzling Gillespie drive, the duo teamed up again on the final possession of the first half.
 
Walker grabbed a huge offensive rebound with 23 seconds left to ensure Belmont would get the final shot of the first half.
 
From there, Gillespie worked clock and made a sweet 3-pointer in the final seconds as Belmont led 38-30 at halftime.
 
Belmont shot 59 percent (16-for-27) from the field in the opening 20 minutes – including 3-for-4 from 3-point distance.
 
Belmont limited Middle Tennessee to 39 percent shooting and outrebounded the Blue Raiders, 16-13.
 
Gillespie led Belmont with 16 first-half points.
 
Belmont established Dia immediately to start the second half.
 
The talented forward scored six points and drew the third and fourth personal fouls on Middle Tennessee starter Jared Coleman-Jones – all within the first 110 seconds of the second half.
 
After Middle Tennessee closed within 44-39, Cade Tyson sparked an 8-0 Belmont response.
 
Four Dia points and two Gillespie free throws extended the margin to 13, 52-39 with 13:35 left.
 
Belmont used strong, unified defense to maintain its lead; Walker and Jayce Willingham led a Bruin charge that made driving lanes and finishes inside hard to come by.
 
Walker made his third 3-pointer and then found Dia along the baseline for a dunk to maintain the double-figure lead.
 
Gillespie then added a steal and assist to Willingham and a wing 3-pointer to make the score 66-48 with 8:32 left.
 
As Belmont strung consecutive defensive stops together, a Willingham 3-point play and two more Dia paint baskets gave Belmont a 73-55 advantage with 5:05 remaining.
 
All told, Belmont shot 54 percent (29-for-54) from the field. Belmont outscored Middle Tennessee, 42-30, in the paint and forced 12 turnovers.
 
Gillespie led four Bruins in double figures with 23 points, four steals, three rebounds and three assists.
 
Dia had 22 points and four rebounds.
 
Walker provided a career-high 11 points and six rebounds.
 
Tyson had 10 points, five rebounds and two assists.
 
King led Middle Tennessee (5-6) with 27 points.
 
Belmont (8-3, 2-0 MVC) returns to game action following semester exams Dec. 16 at Samford.
 
NOTES: Belmont has won 11 of the last 15 meetings vs. Middle Tennessee…This includes having won six of the last eight meetings at the Murphy Center…Gillespie returned to the Murphy Center where he led Greeneville High School to consecutive state titles…Murfreesboro natives Dia and Keishawn Davidson played in the Murphy Center for the first time in their college careers…Walker is averaging nine points and seven rebounds per game over his last four games…Rogers has 26 points over his last five games.

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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