Men's Basketball Returns to Non-Conference Play Saturday vs. Middle Tennessee

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont University men's basketball faces Middle Tennessee Saturday as the Bruins return to non-conference play.

Belmont defeated Illinois State, 99-97, in overtime Wednesday. Carter Whitt provided a steal with nine seconds remaining and the game-winning shot as time expired.
 
The Raleigh, North Carolina native nearly posted his first career triple-double, with 10 points, a career-high eight rebounds and a season-high nine assists.
 
The Bruins forced 19 turnovers and recorded 24 bench points in the victory.
 
Belmont has now won five consecutive and 20 of its last 23 conference opening games.

Tyler Lundblade had 15 points, including a 3-pointer with 32 seconds remaining in regulation. The Dallas, Texas native has six double figure scoring games this season. He had a career-high 25 points vs. Oral Roberts Nov. 19.
 
Isaiah Walker posted a career-high 24 points Wednesday. The Wyoming, Ohio native ranks among team leaders in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals. Walker had 11 points and six rebounds last season at Middle Tennessee.
 
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 125 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 437 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).

 
From 2010-19, Belmont and Middle Tennessee each had four seasons ranked in the final Top 50 by industry leader Ken Pomeroy.
 
Lundblade and Middle Tennessee forward Essam Mostafa were teammates at TCU last season.
 
Belmont legends Nick Muszynski and Kevin McClain were recruited by Middle Tennessee head coach Nick McDevitt when he was at UNC Asheville.
 
This marks the 44th meeting between Belmont and Middle Tennessee. Belmont has won 11 of the last 15 meetings. Belmont won, 75-65, last season at the Murphy Center.
 
Tip-off is set for 2:30 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.
 
The game will be presented by Puckett's Restaurant.

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.