Men's Basketball Defeats Murray State

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont University men's basketball defeated Murray State, 70-60, Sunday from the Curb Event Center in the regular season finale.
 
Belmont, which earlier in the week secured the No. 4 seed and an opening round bye in the Missouri Valley Conference tournament, honored Carter Whitt, Jonathan Pierre, and Brody Peebles on Senior Day in style.
 
Consecutive conventional 3-point plays from Whitt and Drew Scharnowski pushed the Bruins to a 10-5 lead less than four minutes in.
 
Much like its 95-77 victory at Murray State Jan. 25, Belmont turned purposeful, unified defense into offense throughout the first half.
 
Extra effort plays fueled high percentage shots, as five points from Tyler Lundblade and a slam from Sam Orme gave Belmont a 17-9 lead with 12:27 left in the first half.
 
Murray State, which entered play first in the nation in limiting opponent assists and 14^th in the nation in 3-point defense, forced Belmont to explore different ways to score.
 
Another lightning quick 7-0 run – this time comprised of five points from Pierre and a highlight reel alley oop slam from Whitt to Scharnowski – increased the Belmont lead to 11, 24-13.
 
Lundblade and Pierre would combine to score the final 15 Bruin points of the first half as Belmont led 41-22 at halftime.
 
Belmont shot 47 percent (16-for-34) from the field in the opening 20 minutes – including 3-for-9 from 3-point distance.
 
The Bruins scored 24 points in the paint in the first half and forced 10 Murray State turnovers.
 
Murray State would score eight of the first 10 points of the second half, as an AJ Ferguson 3-pointer made the score 43-30 with 18:12 remaining.
 
Whitt would respond with a driving layin and an assist to Brigham Rogers to restore a 17-point Belmont lead.
 
Five straight Whitt points made the score 52-36 with 14:01 left before Murray State systematically worked back into the game.
 
Behind the passing of JaCobi Wood and inside presence of Nick Ellington, Murray State worked Belmont into foul trouble and earned scoring opportunities from the free throw line.
 
As the Bruins endured a rare scoring drought – one basket over a six-minute stretch – consecutive Ferguson layins got Murray State within three, 54-51, with 7:36 left.
Belmont answered with a 3-pointer from Lundblade and a determined drive from Whitt to extend to a 59-52 lead.
 
After Ellington got the Racers within 59-56, two Whitt free throws, an Isaiah Walker basket, and another Lundblade 3-pointer gave Belmont a 66-56 lead with 4:05 remaining.
 
The Belmont crowd erupted in support as Lundblade's trademark shooting had once again delivered in the second half – his 100^th 3-pointer on the season.
 
The Bruin defense and rebounding also rose up down the stretch, limiting Murray State to two field goals over the final seven minutes of the game.
 
All told, Belmont shot 42 percent (26-for-62) from the field – including 6-for-19 from 3-point distance.
 
Belmont outrebounded Murray State, 41-38, and limited the visitors to 33 percent shooting.
 
Whitt led three Belmont players in double figures with 18 points, six rebounds, seven assists, and two steals.
 
Lundblade had 18 points and three rebounds.
 
Pierre delivered 17 points and nine rebounds.
 
Ellington led Murray State (15-16, 9-11 MVC) with 19 points.
 
Belmont has won four consecutive games in the series vs. Murray State, five of six meetings with Murray State in MVC play, and nine of the last 12 meetings in the series overall.
 
Belmont (21-10, 13-7 MVC) returns to game action Friday, March 6 in the quarterfinal round of the Missouri Valley Conference tournament. Belmont will play the winner of Illinois State/Missouri State.
 
Tip-off is set for 2:30 p.m. CT from the Enterprise Center in St. Louis.
 
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 and Oregon, Kansas can join) 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 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.