Tyson Start Fuels Men's Basketball Victory at Valparaiso

VALPARAISO, Ind. - - Behind 25 points from Malik Dia, Belmont University men's basketball defeated Valparaiso, 96-78, Saturday from the Athletics-Recreation Center.
 
Dia went 8-for-14 from the field and 8-for-11 from the free throw line as the Bruins shot a season-high 61 percent.
 
Cade Tyson fueled Belmont as his three consecutive 3-pointers in the first 118 seconds of the game gave the Bruins a 9-0 lead and prompted a Valparaiso timeout.
 
In fact, Belmont grabbed 12 of the game's first 13 rebounds and had five different scorers in an astounding start.
 
Ja'Kobi Gillespie had a hand in 13 of Belmont's first 17 points as a Jayce Willingham 3-pointer and one Brigham Rogers free throw made the score 21-2 at the 13:54 mark.
 
Rogers and Dia established a strong inside presence for the Bruins as the duo combined on eight straight points to push the lead to 28-9.
 
Belmont continued to string defensive stops together with extra efforts, as two Kyler Vanderjagt free throws and a Dia alleyoop slam from Gillespie gave Belmont a 43-16 advantage with 4:52 left in the first half.
 
Moments later, Keishawn Davidson found Tyson for his fifth 3-pointer of the first half before Gillespie swished a baseline stepback 3-pointer of his own.
 
Belmont led 54-27 at halftime.
 
It was a remarkable opening 20 minutes, as Belmont shot 68 percent (17-for-25) from the field – including 10-for-15 from 3-point distance.
 
The Bruins limited Valparaiso to 34 percent shooting in the first half.
 
Gillespie, Davidson and Win Miller provided a scoring punch to start the second half as Belmont managed some foul trouble.
 
And despite some disjointed play and increased turnovers, the Bruins worked for high percentage shots and free throws.
 
A Dia layin made the score 81-58 with 8:33 left.
 
All told, Belmont was 30-for-49 from the field and outrebounded Valparaiso, 38-21.
 
Dia led five Belmont players in double figures with 25 points. Gillespie had 18 points, six assists, four rebounds and two steals.
Tyson had 16 points and seven rebounds while Willingham added 13 points, four rebounds and three assists.
 
Davidson had 12 points – all in the second half.
 
Isaiah Walker had a career-high nine rebounds.
 
Cooper Schwieger led Valparaiso (6-19, 2-12 MVC) with 16 points.
 
Belmont has won five consecutive games in the series.
 
Belmont (14-11, 7-7 MVC) returns to game action Wednesday vs. Southern Illinois.
 
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