Men's Basketball Drops Hard-Fought Game at Northern Iowa

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - - Belmont University men's basketball dropped a hard-fought 76-70 decision at Northern Iowa Wednesday night from the McLeod Center.
 
Belmont, which had won each of its previous two visits to Northern Iowa, could not parlay stretches of inspired play into offensive and defensive connectedness for 40 minutes.
 
After a fast Northern Iowa start provided a six-point deficit, 3-point field goals from Brody Peebles and Jonathan Pierre tied the score at 13.
 
A rare six-minute dry spell enabled Kyle Pock to cap a 13-1 Northern Iowa run and give the hosts a 26-14 lead at the 8:30 mark.
 
Carter Whitt would lead a spirited Bruin effort to close the first half, as baskets from Brigham Rogers, Pierre, and Sam Orme got the score to 39-34 at halftime.
 
Belmont shot 43 percent (13-for-30) from the field in the opening 20 minutes – but an uncharacteristic 6-for-20 from 3-point distance.
 
Northern Iowa hurt Belmont with contested 2-point shots and second-chance points early in the second half, increasing the margin to 54-39 with 11:29 remaining.
 
Belmont fought on.
 
Led by rebounding and defensive effort plays from Drew Scharnowski, a driving basket from Whitt and a baseline 3-pointer from Isaiah Walker off a Whitt assist got Belmont within 58-52 with 7:07 left.
 
However, on the next Northern Iowa offensive possession, Belmont committed four personal fouls in a nine-second span, including the fourth personal fouls on Scharnowski and Rogers.
 
The teams exchanged free throws before Leon Bond made a driving layup with 5:02 remaining.
 
After Orme answered with a determined drive of his own, Belmont had two opportunities to make it a one-possession game but promising shots rimmed out.
 
Tytan Anderson would then score consecutive baskets inside as Northern Iowa reestablished a 67-57 lead with 1:56 left.
 
Belmont managed late-game situations exceedingly well, utilizing Whitt's tremendous driving ability to set up quick scores and extend the game.
 
Five points from Tyler Lundblade and a Whitt 3-pointer made the score 73-70 with 28 seconds remaining.
 
After one Anderson free throw with 19 seconds left, Belmont had an opportunity to get within two or one, but a contested Whitt 3-pointer rimmed out.
 
Two Ben Schwieger free throws provided the final margin.
 
All told, Belmont shot 39 percent (24-for-61) from the field – including 12-for-39 from 3-point distance.
 
It was a difficult result as Belmont had defended courageously the final 30 minutes, holding Northern Iowa – which entered leading the nation in field goal percentage and second in effective field goal percentage – to just 3-for-18 shooting from 3-point distance.
 
The Bruins also held Northern Iowa, which averaged nearly 16 assists per game and 88 points per game over its previous five victories, to a season-low seven assists.
 
Belmont, leading the MVC in assist-turnover ratio, handed out 17 assists and committed only nine turnovers.
 
Pierre led three Belmont players in double figures with 19 points. He added 11 rebounds for his fifth career double-double. Whitt had 17 points, nine rebounds, eight assists, two steals and just one turnover in 31 minutes.
 
Orme scored 11.
 
Anderson led Northern Iowa (9-5, 3-0 MVC) with 18 points.
 
Belmont (9-5, 1-2 MVC) returns to game action Saturday vs. UIC.

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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.