Men's Basketball Defeats Indiana State

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont University men's basketball defeated Indiana State, 77-75, Saturday from the Curb Event Center.
 
Belmont has won 19 or more games in 20 consecutive seasons, joining Gonzaga in an exclusive fraternity (San Diego State and Kansas also can accomplish).
 
In a game featuring 10 ties and 13 lead changes, Carter Whitt posted a near triple-double and his mid-range jump shot with 1:19 remaining put Belmont ahead to stay.
 
The top two scoring teams in the Missouri Valley Conference labored to find an offensive rhythm in the first half, as the Bruins and Sycamores combined to commit 17 turnovers and collectively shoot under 40 percent from the field.
 
Brody Peebles led strong bench contributions, as an Aidan Noyes fast break basket capped a 15-4 run and gave Belmont a 24-19 lead.
 
Belmont went scoreless the final 3:23 of the first half as a basket from Jaden Daughtry gave Indiana State a 28-26 halftime lead.
 
Belmont shot 37 percent (10-for-27) from the field in the opening 20 minutes – including 5-for-11 from 3-point distance.
 
Tyler Lundblade opened second half scoring with a 3-pointer to give Belmont a 29-28 lead with 19:45 left.
 
Camp Wagner began to take a lead role for the Indiana State offense as his three consecutive 3-pointers gave Indiana State a 48-41 lead with 12:21 remaining.
 
Whitt highlighted a 7-0 Belmont run to tie the score at 48 with 10:57 left as momentum swings and energy rose with each possession.
 
Following a Jonathan Pierre layin, baskets from Bruno Alocen and Samage Teel put Indiana State ahead 60-52 with 7:45 left.
 
Sam Orme then delivered a key offensive rebound and baseline 3-pointer to trim the margin to five points.
 
Two more Belmont defensive stops would follow, as a Pierre 3-pointer and a Whitt short jump shot tied the score at 60 with 5:06 left.
 
Wagner would answer with a deep 3-pointer before Isaiah Walker scored in transition to get the Bruins within 63-62.
 
Then following a reach-in foul on Kamani Doughty with 2:52 left, Doughty was whistled for a contact dead ball technical foul going into the under-four media timeout.
 
Whitt proceeded to make three free throws and Walker scored an offensive rebound putback basket to give Belmont a 67-63 lead with 2:42 left.
 
Belmont would force an Indiana State turnover on the next possession and seemingly have a measure of control up four points with possession with 2:27 remaining.
 
Following an Indiana State timeout, Whitt would be called for a traveling violation that awarded possession back to the visiting team.
 
Doughty would make two free throws with 1:55 left to get Indiana State within two points.
 
On Belmont's next possession, the Bruins would draw up a signature backdoor play; and while Belmont players and the home crowd believed that a Walker bounce pass was kicked by an Indiana State defender, play continued and Indiana State gained possession.
 
Doughty made a 3-pointer in transition to give Indiana State a 68-67 lead with 1:34 remaining.
 
It was a dramatic turn of events in less than one minute.
 
Whitt then delivered a mid-range jump shot with 1:19 left to put Belmont back ahead, 69-68.
 
On Indiana State's next possession, the Sycamores reversed the basketball and found Jayan Walker in the midpost. He passed to Daughtry – one of the most accomplished finishers in the MVC - on the doorstep but his shot rimmed off and Orme grabbed the rebound.
 
Pierre would make two free throws to extend the Belmont lead to three, 71-68, with 51 seconds left.
 
Daughtry would make one free throw with 41 seconds left to get Indiana State within two.
 
After Whitt made one free throw with 30 seconds remaining, Lundblade stole a mistimed Indiana State pass on the next sequence.
 
Whitt would deliver two free throws with 20 seconds left to make the score 74-69.
 
But with Wagner's shooting, there was plenty of game left.
 
His eighth 3-pointer - from well over 30 feet – got Indiana State within 74-72 with 15 seconds left.
 
Walker would then be fouled and make one free throw with 14 seconds left to set up the final sequence.
 
Trailing by 3, Wagner launched a potential game-tying 3-pointer from 35 feet out and the shot missed and went out of bounds.
 
Lundblade would add two free throws and Wagner would make his ninth 3-pointer of the game as the horn sounded.
 
All told, Belmont shot 41 percent (24-for-59) from the field – including 9-for-26 from 3-point distance.
 
Belmont outscored Indiana State, 28-18, in bench points, and outrebounded Indiana State by six in the second half.
 
Whitt led four Belmont players in double figures with 15 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists.
 
Walker had 13 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and four steals.
 
Pierre had 13 points and four rebounds.
 
Peebles scored 12.
 
Wagner led Indiana State (13-16, 7-11 MVC) with 31 points. Belmont limited Teel – the second-leading scorer in the MVC who entered having scored 104 points over his previous four games – to two points.
 
Belmont (19-10, 11-7 MVC) returns to game action Wednesday at Missouri 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 20 consecutive seasons (alongside Gonzaga; San Diego State and Kansas can accomplish). 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.