Men's Basketball Opens Conference Play Against Illinois State Wednesday

?? @isaiah0walker and @SteveLayman preview Illinois State Wednesday @ValleyHoops @GrayMediaGTN #ItsBruinTime pic.twitter.com/HgJEdVHoze

— Belmont Basketball (@BelmontMBB) December 4, 2024

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont University men's basketball opens conference play Wednesday against Illinois State.

Belmont defeated Gardner-Webb, 83-74, Nov. 29.
 
The Bruins forced 16 turnovers and recorded 42 bench points in the victory.

Tyler Lundblade led four Belmont players in double figures with 15 points. The Dallas, Texas native has five double figure scoring games this season. He had a career-high 25 points vs. Oral Roberts Nov. 19.
 
Three Bruins – Isaiah Walker, Jonathan Pierre, Carter Whitt – have posted 25 or more assists so far this season.
 
The Bruins enter the season alongside Gonzaga, Kansas, and Oregon as one of four programs to win 20 or more games 14 consecutive seasons.
 
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 124 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 436 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).

 
Belmont has recruited the state of Illinois well in recent years, most notably 2018 graduate Amanze Egekeze (Lake in the Hills), freshmen Drew Scharnowski (Burlington) and Eoin Dillon.

This marks the seventh meeting between Belmont and Illinois State. Belmont won, 67-60, last season at the Curb Event Center.
 
Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. from the Curb Event Center. The game will be broadcast on Gray Media affiliates (complete TV listings here), 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.
 
Students in attendance will receive a FREE Belmont Drifit headband (while supplies last).

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.