Men's Basketball Faces Oral Roberts Tuesday

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont University men's basketball plays Oral Roberts Tuesday.
 
Belmont defeated Air Force, 79-71, Friday.
 
Carter Whitt led five Belmont players in double figures with 16 points. He added five rebounds and three steals. The Raleigh, N.C. native spearheaded Belmont's victory at Lipscomb.
 
Belmont has showcased balanced offense this season, recording five double figure scorers in three of its first four games. Eight different Bruins have scored in double figures this season.
 
This marks the first time since its inaugural NCAA Division I season of 1996-97 that Belmont enters a campaign having to replace all five starters.
 
Belmont went 20-13 last season, finishing fourth in the Missouri Valley Conference.

What's Bruin

• Belmont is the only NCAA Division I institution in the nation to win 20 or more games nine consecutive seasons in men's and women's basketball.
• Belmont has 121 victories since the start of the 2020 season, ranking T-13 nationally to open the season.
• 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's 433 victories since 2007 leads the state of Tennessee - including Tennessee, Memphis and Vanderbilt.
• This marks the first time since the 2013-14 season that Belmont enters a campaign without a returning all-conference player. That season, led by OVC Player of the Year and AP All-America Honorable Mention selection JJ Mann, Belmont won the OVC, won 26 games and reached the Postseason NIT Elite 8.
• Belmont finished Top 3 in the Missouri Valley Conference in 10 statistical categories in 2023-24, and ranked among national leaders in 3-point field goal percentage, effective field goal percentage, assists and scoring offense.
• Belmont head coach Casey Alexander is one of six NCAA Division I head coaches to win 20 or more games in eight consecutive seasons, joining Dana Altman (Oregon), Mark Few (Gonzaga), Greg McDermott (Creighton), Kelvin Sampson (Houston), and Bill Self (Kansas).

 
CBS Nashville sports anchor and Voice of the Bruins Steve Layman covered Oral Roberts while working at KOKI-TV in Tulsa from 2007-11.
 
Belmont graduate student Brody Peebles played against Oral Roberts two seasons ago while playing at Liberty. Peebles scored nine points.
 
This marks the fifth meeting between Belmont and Oral Roberts.

The programs last met in the 2012 Great Alaska Shootout, as the Bruins won 70-67 behind Blake Jenkins' 22 points.

Belmont assistant coach and hall of famer Kerron Johnson played in that game, recording 20 points, seven assists, four rebounds and two steals.

Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. 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. In-game updates will be available via Twitter @BelmontMBB.

Belmont tickets 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.
 
Belmont University men's basketball has been a postseason fixture for 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 (behind Gonzaga and Kansas). Belmont has won 20 or more games in 14 consecutive seasons (alongside Gonzaga, Kansas, and Oregon) and 19 or more games in 19 consecutive seasons (alongside Gonzaga, Kansas, and 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 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 its existence. Belmont is the only NCAA Division I institution in America whose men's and women's basketball programs have won 20 or more games in nine consecutive seasons.