Men's Basketball Defeats Saint Francis in Coconut Hoops

FT. MYERS, Fla. - - Behind a career-high 17 points from Jack Smiley, Belmont University men's basketball defeated Saint Francis, 94-57, Monday afternoon in GEICO Coconut Hoops from Alico Arena.
 
Smiley went 7-for-7 from the field – including 3-for-3 from 3-point distance – in 13 minutes of action to headline Belmont's complete team performance.
 
A coast-to-coast steal and slam from Nic McClain and five points from Sam Orme highlighted a 10-0 Belmont run to give the Bruins a 13-5 lead less than five minutes in.
 
After a basket from Ahmad Harrison made the score 18-15, Belmont used more connected defense to take control.
 
Brigham Rogers capped a 13-0 Belmont run with a left-handed layin as the lead grew to 16, 31-15.
 
A Tyler Lundblade 3-pointer and a driving layiin from Isaiah West made the score 36-17 before Saint Francis scored the final 11 points of the first half.
 
Belmont had 20 points in the paint in the opening 20 minutes and turned 11 Saint Francis turnovers into 21 points.
 
Orme led Belmont with 10 first-half points.
 
Belmont was locked in to start the second half as more active defense and rebounding led to high percentage shots.
 
Three Lundblade 3-pointers and another tough inside score from Rogers pushed Belmont to an 18-4 run as the lead increased to 22, 54-32, with 15:13 left.
 
Smiley continued his fine form with slashing drives to the basket and confident outside shooting as Saint Francis went over five minutes without a field goal.
 
A Rogers layin off an assist from Eoin Dillon and six Win Miller free throws made the score 79-46 with 5:35 left.
 
Belmont delivered an impressive game performance characterized by purpose and efficiency.
 
Belmont limited Saint Francis to 33 percent shooting and only eight second chance points.
 
11 Bruins scored.
 
Belmont shot 76 percent (19-for-25) from the field in the second half, handing out 26 assists on 34 made field goals for the game.
The Bruins recorded 43 bench points.
 
Lundblade led four Belmont players in double figures with 18 points and three rebounds.
 
Smiley had 17.
 
Orme contributed 15 points, three rebounds. four assists, and four blocked shots.
 
Rogers had 12 points, five rebounds, and three assists.
 
Nic McClain provided six points, a game-high nine assists, four rebounds, and three steals.
 
Ahmad Harrison led Saint Francis (0-5) with 17 points.
 
It was game No. 200 for Casey Alexander as Belmont head coach; he has won exactly 73 percent of his games in his six-plus seasons as head coach.
 
With the victory, Belmont opens the season 6-0 for the first time since its NCAA Tournament at-large bid season of 2019.
 
Belmont (6-0) returns to game action Wednesday, Nov. 26 vs. Toledo in GEICO Coconut Hoops. Tip-off is set for 12:30 p.m. CT from Alico Arena in Ft. Myers, Florida.
 
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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