Men's Basketball Defeats Lipscomb in 152nd Battle of the Boulevard

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Behind 18 points and six assists from Nic McClain, Belmont University men's basketball defeated Lipscomb, 75-68, Wednesday night from the Curb Event Center in the 152^nd Battle of the Boulevard.
 
McClain went 6-for-10 from the field and added three steals as Belmont has won 20 of the last 23 meetings in the series with Lipscomb.
 
A boisterous, near sellout crowd and a supportive student section emboldened by Belmont women's basketball's victory over Lipscomb in the opening game of the evening doubleheader saw the Bruins ride its strong defense and free throw shooting to a rivalry win.
 
While the previous three meetings all came down to the final possession of the game, this edition was more of a tractor pull, with a combined 41 turnovers and 36 fouls.
 
Nonetheless, an outstanding first half of 11 points and seven rebounds from Drew Scharnowski gave Belmont a 25-24 halftime lead.
 
From there, Belmont held Lipscomb scoreless for the opening seven minutes of the second half, as Isaiah West capped a 16-0 run with a layin to give the Bruins a 41-24 lead.
 
McClain sparked the Belmont run, with strong drives, post moves, timely assists, and impassioned defense.
 
A Tyler Lundblade 3-pointer off a McClain made the score 44-27 with 12:29 remaining.
 
Though Belmont limited Lipscomb to one made field goal over the first 10 and a half minutes of the second half, behind the steady play of Mateo Esmeraldo the Bisons stayed within distance.
 
A Scharnowski dunk and a McClain teardrop put Belmont on top 56-39 with 5:48 left.
 
However, three 3-pointers from Grant Asman in a 99 second span got Lipscomb within eight points.
 
Belmont responded with 3-pointers from Lundblade and Sam Orme to make the score 64-50 with 1:57 left.
 
Lipscomb extended the game with fouls and late-game 3-point shooting; after struggling much of the second half the Bisons made eight 3-pointers in the final 10 minutes of the game.
 
All told, Belmont shot 56 percent from the field in the second half and earned 29 free throw attempts.
 
Belmont was +10 in points in the paint and handed out 14 assists.
 
McClain and Lundblade led four Belmont players in double figures with 18 points each.
 
Scharnowski recorded his first double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
 
Orme had 11 points and nine rebounds.
 
Asman led Lipscomb (1-4) with 13 points.
 
With the victory, Belmont opens the season 4-0 for the first time since its NCAA Tournament at-large bid season of 2019.
 
Belmont (4-0) returns to game action Friday, Nov. 21 vs. Fisk.
 
Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. CT from the Curb Event Center. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and the ESPN app. The live play-by-play of Steve Layman can be heard on Belmont Bruins Radio. In-game updates will be available via Twitter @BelmontMBB.

Belmont season tickets – which include the entire men's and women's basketball home schedule – are on sale now at belmontbruins.com/tickets. 
 
To become a Bruin Club member, contact Russell Grimm at (615) 460-5668 or russell.grimm@belmont.edu.
 
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 15 consecutive seasons (alongside Gonzaga, Kansas, and Oregon) and 19 or more games in 20 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 six 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 10 consecutive seasons.
 
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