Strong Second Half Lifts Men's Basketball Past UIC

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Behind a season-high 17 points from Keishawn Davidson, Belmont University men's basketball defeated UIC, 74-65, Saturday from the Curb Event Center.
 
Davidson added five assists and two steals as Belmont forced a season-high 23 turnovers.
 
The Bruins' purposeful defense and second half surge helped overcome an uncharacteristically disjointed first-half offensively.
 
Belmont made one field goal in the opening 6:54 of the game as six points from Ethan Pickett gave UIC an early 10-3 lead.
 
A Cade Tyson putback basket and a Jayce Willingham 3-point field goal got Belmont within 13-10 as both teams labored for scoring.
 
Baskets from Win Miller, Davidson and Willingham followed by a Malik Dia score gave Belmont a 22-21 lead with 2:40 left in the first half.
 
UIC led 25-22 at halftime.
 
Despite starting the game 5-for-25 from the field, Belmont limited UIC to 33 percent shooting and forced 12 turnovers in the first half.  
 
A baseline 3-pointer from Isaiah Walker to open the second half portended good things for Belmont offensively.
 
Seven points from a determined Dia and a Tyson 3-pointer gave Belmont a 35-30 lead with 15:04 remaining.
 
As the Bruins continued to register defensive stops, offensive rhythm and confidence grew.
 
A conventional 3-point play from Kyler Vanderjagt and a slam from Brigham Rogers off an assist from Tyson made the score 46-40 with 9:56 left.
 
UIC got bench contributions from Jaden Brownell before Willingham, Tyson and Davidson hit three consecutive 3-pointers in an 80-second span to give Belmont a 57-46 lead with 5:58 left.
 
Tyson added a conventional 3-point play moments later as Belmont made 11 consecutive free throws in the final 2:29 to secure the game.
 
All told, Belmont shot 50 percent from the field in the second half and outscored UIC by six points in the paint.
 
Davidson led four Belmont players in double figures. Willingham continued his fine play with 14 points, four rebounds and four steals.
 
Dia had 13 points, nine rebounds and three steals. Tyson had 13 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three blocked shots.
 
CJ Jones led UIC (8-13, 1-9 MVC) with 16 points.
 
Belmont (12-9, 5-5 MVC) returns to game action Wednesday vs. Indiana State. Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. from the Curb Event Center.

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