Men's Basketball Outlasts Middle Tennessee

?? @SteveLayman talks with @CaseyAlexander_ following the 82-79 win over MTSU for the Bruins' fourth-consecutive win.#ItsBruinTime pic.twitter.com/il5qmL6em6

— Belmont Basketball (@BelmontMBB) December 7, 2024

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Behind 14 points, eight rebounds, eight assists and three steals from Carter Whitt, Belmont University men's basketball defeated Middle Tennessee, 82-79, Saturday from the Curb Event Center.
 
Belmont has won 12 of the last 16 meetings in the series.
 
Whitt, who made the game-winning shot Wednesday in Belmont's victory over Illinois State, flirted with a triple-double for the second straight game.
 
His four consecutive free throws in the final 11 seconds capped an action-packed final 12 minutes and helped secure the victory.
 
Six early points from Jestin Porter gave Middle Tennessee a 12-7 lead four minutes in.
 
The first half was characterized by an exchange of scoring runs, as Brody Peebles punctuated a 7-0 Belmont burst to put the Bruins back on top.
 
3-pointers from Tyler Lundblade and Jonathan Pierre enabled Belmont to extend the lead to 21-14 midway through the first half.
 
The Bruins used opportunistic defense to spur its offense.
 
Middle Tennessee responded with a 12-2 run of its own, as five points from Tre Green gave the Blue Raiders a 26-23 advantage.
 
Belmont did a good job of neutralizing driving lanes and offensive rebounding opportunities for Middle Tennessee – one the top rebounding teams in CUSA.
 
Following a Chris Loofe basket, Belmont would hold Middle Tennessee scoreless for over four minutes late in the first half.
 
Balanced scoring from Whitt, Isaiah Walker, Brigham Rogers, and Sam Orme pushed Belmont to a 38-30 halftime lead.
 
Belmont shot 39 percent (15-for-39) from the field in the opening 20 minutes – scoring 10 points off nine Middle Tennessee turnovers.
 
Eight Bruins scored in the first half.
 
Belmont roared out of the locker room to start the second half, as backdoor layins from Walker around a driving basket from Whitt stretched the margin to 14, 44-30, with 18:59 remaining.
 
As Belmont continued to turn stern defense into offense, a Peebles basket, Lundblade 3-pointer and layin from Drew Scharnowski gave Belmont a 58-40 lead with 12:59 remaining.


Middle Tennessee was in need of a spark and found one in the person of Jlynn Counter.
 
The IU Indianapolis transfer had one field goal attempt in the first half, but quickly made up for lost time.
 
His conventional 3-point play and assist to Green for a 3-point field goal got Middle Tennessee within 58-48 and injected new life into the Blue Raiders.
 
Rogers, Orme and Scharnowski delivered offensive production during the stretch, but Counter simply had it going from all angles.
 
His drives, shotmaking and distribution changed the game, as Middle Tennessee closed within 65-63 on a Porter basket.
 
After a determined finish from Rogers inside, Porter made a left wing 3-pointer to get Middle Tennessee within 67-66 with 5:28 left – the closest they had been since the game was tied at 28.
 
During the six-plus minute stretch, Counter had scored or assisted on all 24 Middle Tennessee points.
 
Orme would find Rogers for a doorstep slam with 4:27 left to put Belmont back on top by three.
 
After a defensive stop, Whitt made two free throws to give Belmont a 71-66 advantage with 3:52 left.
 
Both teams made numerous big plays down the stretch.
 
Middle Tennessee took advantage of two second-chance opportunities – first Essam Mostafa then Porter – to close within one.
 
Rogers made one free throw with 2:27 remaining to make the score 72-70.
 
Orme then delivered two big plays – first recording a blocked shot on a Porter drive, then scoring on the offensive glass off a Walker feed – to increase the lead to four, 74-70, with 1:55 left.
 
Counter answered with a 3-pointer to get Middle Tennessee within one, before Whitt drove and scored with 1:01 left to make the score 76-73.
 
Following a timeout, Counter took advantage of a fake dribble handoff play and got all the way to the rim for two with 55 seconds left.
 
Belmont proceeded to work the next offensive possession, and found Pierre in the midpost for an impressive, contested finish from eight feet to give Belmont a 78-75 lead with 30 seconds left.
 
With an opportunity to go for a quick two or a game-tying 3-pointer, Middle Tennessee turned to Counter who was fouled on a drive with 15 seconds remaining.
 
He would make one free throw to get Middle Tennessee within two.
 
From there, Whitt made two free throws with 11 seconds left to give Belmont a two-possession lead, 80-76.
 
Bufford then drove and found Porter in the deep corner for a 3-pointer with under five seconds left that got Middle Tennessee within 80-79.
 
Whitt was quickly fouled, and he again made both free throws with four seconds remaining.
 
Belmont played out the final possession defensively, as Counter missed a contested, off-balance 32-footer as time expired.
 
All told, Belmont shot 43 percent (31-for-73) from the field.
 
Belmont outrebounded Middle Tennessee, 42-40, and forced 14 turnovers.
 
The Bruins had 11 steals.
 
Belmont outscored Middle Tennessee, 48-40, in the paint.
 
Whitt and Walker led five Belmont players with 14 points each.
 
Rogers had a season-high 12 points, a career-high five assists and two steals.
 
Orme had 12 points and nine rebounds, while Pierre had 10 points, six rebounds, three steals and two assists.
 
Counter led Middle Tennessee (7-3) with 22 points.
 
Belmont (8-2, 1-0 MVC) returns to game action Saturday, Dec. 14 at Richmond.
 
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.