Men's Basketball Earns Convincing Road Victory at Middle Tennessee

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - - Behind balanced scoring and connected team defense, Belmont University men's basketball defeated Middle Tennessee, 83-62, Sunday from the Murphy Center.
 
With the victory, Belmont has won all five of its games away from home this season by a combined 119 points.
 
Belmont limited Middle Tennessee to 31 percent shooting and outscored the Blue Raiders, 38-16, in points in the paint.
 
Drew Scharnowski set the tone with an emphatic slam 12 seconds into the game, and Belmont maintained impressive energy and purpose throughout.
 
Consecutive baskets from Tyler Lundblade, Brigham Rogers, and Bez Jenkins gave Belmont an 11-4 lead five minutes in.
 
Middle Tennessee used Jahvin Carter and free throws from Torey Alston to take a three-point lead.
 
As Belmont held Middle Tennessee to one made field goal, Nic McClain scored six points during a 12-3 run to close the first half as Belmont led 35-31 at halftime.
 
Belmont shot 56 percent (15-for-27) from the field in the opening 20 minutes.
 
McClain led Belmont with 10 first-half points.
 
Sam Orme opened the second half with a baseline slam as the Bruins methodically seized control of the game.
 
Huge baskets from Jack Smiley and Isaiah West continued momentum, as a tough layin from Rogers made the score 56-43 with 13:26 left.
 
Middle Tennessee got within nine points, before Scharnowski, McClain, and Jenkins fueled another major run.
 
A Lundblade 3-pointer capped a 12-0 Belmont run to increase the lead to 21, 72-51, with 8:19 left.
 
As Belmont found high percentage shots, the Bruins continued to put together strong halfcourt defensive possessions, forcing contested shots and securing defensive rebounds.
 
A determined steal and score from Jenkins, a McClain slam, and five Smiley points made the score 83-60 with 1:59 left.
 
Belmont did not commit a second-half turnover before head coach Casey Alexander emptied the bench with 90 seconds left.
 
All told, Belmont shot 52 percent (34-for-65) from the field – including 10-for-23 from 3-point distance.
 
Belmont handed out 21 assists on 34 made field goals, and outrebounded Middle Tennessee, 43-40.
 
McClain led four Belmont players in double figures with 20 points. He added four rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
 
Lundblade had 15 points, three rebounds, and a career-high six assists.
 
Scharnowski provided 12 points, four rebounds, two assists, and one blocked shot.
 
Brigham Rogers had 10 points and seven rebounds.
 
Alston led Middle Tennessee (5-4) with 14 points.
 
Belmont has won 13 of the last 17 meetings in the series, including four consecutive victories at the Murphy Center.
 
Belmont (9-1) returns to game action Saturday, Dec. 13 vs. UIC. Tip-off is set for 3 p.m. from the Curb Event Center.
 
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.