Men's Basketball Defeats Missouri State

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont University men's basketball defeated Missouri State, 93-78, Saturday from the Curb Event Center.
 
Cade Tyson led five Belmont players in double figures with 25 points as the Bruins made a season-high 16 3-point field goals in front of a spirited Homecoming crowd.
 
The game featured six lead changes in the first six minutes as a Tyson 3-pointer gave Belmont a 14-13 lead.
 
Then after 3-pointers from Ja'Kobi Gillespie and Jayce Willingham, Malik Dia capped a 12-0 run to make the score 23-13.
 
A Donovan Clay layin got Missouri State within four points before two Gillespie free throws and a Keishawn Davidson 3-pointer extended the margin to nine.
 
With Missouri State extending a 2-2-1 press much of the first half, the game was free-flowing with end-to-end action.
 
A baseline slam from Tyson and an Isaiah Walker conventional 3-point play increased Belmont's lead to 39-27 at the 5:01 mark.
 
Clay and Alston Mason led Missouri State within 41-38 with 58 seconds left in the first half.
 
The Bruins closed the first half well.
 
A Tyson 3-pointer, two Gillespie free throws and a defensive stop provided Belmont a 46-38 halftime lead.
 
Belmont shot 44 percent (14-for-32) from the field in the opening 20 minutes – including 9-for-21 from 3-point distance.
 
Belmont scored 12 points off 10 Missouri State turnovers in the first half.
 
The scoring run continued into the second half to provide Belmont a working margin.
 
Five Tyson points and an acrobatic Gillespie layin made the score 53-38 with 18:16 remaining.
 
From there, the teams exchanged offensive scores, as Chance Moore and Matthew Lee helped Missouri State stay within range.
 
But more all-court play from Gillespie and determined scores from Willingham and Walker preserved a double-figure lead.
 
Gillespie scored or assisted on eight consecutive points as Belmont led 78-61 with 6:50 left.
Missouri State, with earlier victories over St. Mary's and Drake, entered play among the nation's top rebounding teams, and Belmont battled well on the backboards throughout the game.
 
Another Tyson 3-pointer and strong scores from Gillespie and Willingham down the stretch against Missouri State pressure defense helped secure the outcome.
 
All told, Belmont shot 47 percent (32-for-68) from the field – handing out 21 assists on 32 made field goals.
 
Tyson had 25 points, nine rebounds and four assists. Gillespie had 24 points, five assists and two steals.
 
Dia provided 13 points, eight rebounds, three assists, three blocked shots and two steals while Willingham added 12 points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots.
 
Davidson had 11 points, three assists and two steals.
 
Moore and Lee led Missouri State (15-14, 7-11 MVC) with 18 points each.
 
Belmont has won five of its last six games.
 
Belmont (17-12, 10-8 MVC) returns to game action Wednesday at Murray State.
 
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