Men's Basketball Falls to Northern Iowa

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont University men's basketball dropped an 83-72 decision to Northern Iowa Wednesday night from the Curb Event Center.
 
With the middle Tennessee area blanketed in snow and ice from the recent winter storm, the short-handed Bruins were unable to find the same formula that had resulted in three previous victories over the Panthers.
 
Belmont rode the confident play of Cade Tyson to an early 8-6 lead.
 
Cole Henry capped a 12-2 Northern Iowa run to give the visitors an 18-10 lead as both offenses found pace and rhythm.
 
Malik Dia made consecutive 3-point field goals before another determined Tyson basket tied the score at 20.
 
A Jayce Willingham post basket and another Tyson 3-pointer gave Belmont a 32-28 lead with 4:10 remaining in the first half.
 
As both teams exchanged scores behind quality team basketball, Win Miller and Willingham made back-to-back 3-pointers to help Belmont to a 40-39 halftime lead.
 
The first half featured four ties and seven lead changes.
 
Belmont shot 53 percent (16-for-30) from the field in the opening 20 minutes – including 7-for-13 from 3-point distance.
 
Tyson led Belmont with 16 first-half points.
 
A Dia conventional 3-point play and a Willingham layin gave Belmont a 45-44 lead with 17:04 left before Nate Heise led a Northern Iowa response.
 
Heise had a hand in nine points during a 14-4 run that gave Northern Iowa a 58-49 lead with 12:31 remaining.
 
Without the all-court impact of star guard Ja'Kobi Gillespie for a fourth consecutive game, Belmont got timely contributions from its bench.
 
Four points from Brigham Rogers trimmed the margin to five before Bowen Born answered with a conventional 3-point play and a transition 3-pointer.
 
Win Miller sparked another Belmont run before two more Dia baskets closed the score to 64-59 with 7:15 left as the Belmont student section urged the team on.
 
But from there, a Tytan Anderson conventional 3-point play and another deep wing 3-pointer from Heise all but secured the outcome.
 
All told, Belmont shot 48 percent (29-for-61) from the field. Belmont outrebounded Northern Iowa, 34-30.
 
Tyson led three Bruins in double figures with 29 points and seven rebounds. Dia had 13 points, nine rebounds and three assists.
 
Willingham scored 12.
 
Heise led Northern Iowa (10-8, 4-3 MVC) with 20 points.
 
It marked just the eighth conference home loss for Belmont over the last 14 seasons.
 
Belmont (11-7, 4-3 MVC) returns to game action Saturday at Bradley.
 
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