Men's Basketball Falls to [rv/--] Bradley

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont University men's basketball dropped an 89-77 decision to [rv/--] Bradley Tuesday night from the Curb Event Center.
 
In a battle for first-place atop the Missouri Valley Conference standings, a fiercely-contested game materialized featuring nine ties and nine lead changes.
 
Despite a courageous performance from Carter Whitt – 15 points, seven rebounds, and a career-high 11 assists - a 14-5 Bradley run to open the second half proved to be the difference.
 
Belmont withstood early 3-pointers from forward Darius Hannah and a banked 3 from MVC Preseason Player of the Year Duke Deen to take a 14-12 lead on an Isaiah Walker offensive rebound putback basket.
 
A Whitt 3-pointer and an Aidan Noyes tip-in increased the Belmont lead to 23-17 before forward Brigham Rogers was whistled for his second personal foul.
 
Noyes added a timely 3-pointer before Bradley guard Connor Dillon – older brother of Belmont freshman Eoin Dillon – made two straight shots.
 
Dillon's second make – a baseline 3-pointer as the shot clock expired – got Bradley within 26-25 at the 8:03 mark.
 
Drew Scharnowski provided major contributions off the bench, as his seven first-half free throws complemented Belmont scoring.
 
Whitt would pick up his second personal foul with 3:53 left in the first half.
 
Brody Peebles answered the bell with eight straight points in a 58 second span to give Belmont a 39-37 lead.
 
The score was tied at 43 at halftime.
 
Belmont shot 36 percent (13-for-36) from the field in the opening 20 minutes – including 6-for-19 from 3-point distance.
 
The Bruins got 22 bench points in the first half and only committed three turnovers.
 
Bradley extra effort plays to open the second half enabled them to take the lead.
 
Four points from Ahmet Jonovic and a Zek Montgomery basket gave Bradley a 57-48 lead with 14:55 remaining.
 
Sam Orme made two straight 3-pointers for Belmont to make the score 59-54.
 
Tyler Lundblade, Walker, Orme, and Peebles would get a series of clean looks within the next two minutes of play but the Bruins – who shot 45 percent from 3-point distance in their three previous meetings vs. Bradley – simply couldn't get shots to go.
 
A Jaquan Johnson 3-pointer gave Bradley a 64-54 lead with 11:30 left.
 
Scharnowski would throw down an acrobatic alley oop slam from Whitt to cut the margin to eight, but Johnson and Christian Davis provided scores for Bradley.
 
Whitt almost single-handedly willed Belmont down the stretch, having a hand in 10 straight points to give the Bruins a chance to get within six or five points in the final two minutes.
 
But a tipped pass led to a runout slam to Hannah with 1:03 left to secure the outcome.
 
Bradley went 22-for-23 from the free throw line.
 
All told, Belmont shot 38 percent (26-for-68) from the field – including just 11-for-37 from 3-point distance.
 
The Bruins had 18 assists and only nine turnovers.
 
Whitt led four Belmont players in double figures with 15 points. Scharnowski and Jonathan Pierre each scored 11. Walker had 10 points and eight rebounds.
 
Davis led Bradley (17-3, 8-1 MVC) with 19 points.
 
Belmont (14-6, 6-3 MVC) returns to game action Saturday at Murray State.
 
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.

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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.