Men's Basketball Earns National AP Top 25 Poll Votes

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont University men's basketball was among others receiving votes in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll for the week of Dec. 22.
 
Belmont (12-1, 2-0 MVC) earned two voting points to represent the Missouri Valley Conference.
 
Belmont defeated UC Irvine, 84-58, Dec. 19 to become the nation's first 12-win team this season.
 
It also marked the largest margin of victory for an opponent at UC Irvine since Feb. 8, 1997.
 
Belmont has won all seven games away from home this season, by a combined 150 points.
 
Moreover, Belmont has four players – Nic McClain, Sam Orme, Brigham Rogers, and Drew Scharnowski – who have posted double-doubles this season.
 
Belmont has earned national Top 25 poll votes in 12 of the last 16 seasons.
 
Belmont was ranked as high as No. 27 in the AP Top 25 poll five seasons ago.
 
Belmont single-game, flex packs, group experiences, VIP courtside seat upgrades, and season tickets 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.