Men's Basketball Faces [rv/rv] Drake in the MVC Semifinal Saturday

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont men's basketball returns to game action Saturday vs. [rv/rv] Drake in the semifinal round of the 2025 Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball Tournament.
 
Belmont (22-10) defeated Illinois State, 76-63, Friday, limiting the Redbirds to 35 percent shooting while posting six double figure scorers. The Bruins have won nine true road games – second to Drake – this season, tied for 11^th nationally.
 
Belmont is No. 92 in the KPI, one of four MVC teams ranked in the Top 100 nationally (Drake 38, Bradley 50, Northern Iowa 76).
 
The Bruins' victory at Missouri State Feb. 26 secured a 15^th consecutive 20-win season, joining Gonzaga and Oregon in exclusive company (Kansas has the opportunity to join the group).
 
Carter Whitt was named Third Team All-MVC and MVC All-Newcomer Team Wednesday. The 6-3 guard had 12 points, seven rebounds, and 11 assists vs. Illinois State for his team-high 26^th double figure scoring game this season. He had 15 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists vs. Indiana State – one of seven times this season he has flirted with a triple-double. The Raleigh, North Carolina native is among NCAA leaders in assists per game in conference games and ranks among MVC leaders in scoring, assists, and steals. Whitt had a Curb Event Center record 15 assists vs. Missouri State Feb. 8.
 
Jonathan Pierre was named First Team All-MVC and MVC All-Newcomer Team Wednesday. The 6-9 forward had 11 points and 12 rebounds vs. Illinois State for his sixth double-double. Pierre went over 1,000 career points vs. Missouri State Feb. 8. The Hallandale, Florida native has 24 double figure scoring games this season, including a career-high 28 points at Richmond. Pierre is a two-time MVC Newcomer of Week honoree.
 
Isaiah Walker had 11 points and eight rebounds vs. Illinois State. Taking a major jump in his junior season, Walker has scored in double figures 22 times this season, after four double figure scoring games his first two seasons. The Wyoming, Ohio had a career-high 24 points vs. Illinois State Dec. 4. Walker leads the MVC in steals since Feb. 1. He was named to the MVC Most-Improved Team Tuesday and the MVC Scholar-Athlete Team Monday.
 
Tyler Lundblade ranks among MVC and NCAA leaders in 3-point field goals per game and 3-point field goal percentage. The Dallas, Texas native scored a career-high 27 points vs. Missouri State, was named MVC Player of the Week Feb. 10, and was named MVC Newcomer of the Week March 3. He had 14 points vs. Illinois State. He is one of four Belmont players in the NCAA Division I era – and one of 10 players in MVC history - to make 100 or more 3-point field goals in a single season. Lundblade was named to the MVC Scholar-Athlete Team Monday.
 
Brigham Rogers had two points, two rebounds, three assists and strong defense vs. Illinois State. The Woodstock, Georgia native scored a career-high 17 points and added nine rebounds vs. Southern Illinois Jan. 8. Rogers is among MVC leaders in blocked shots, offensive rebounding and 2-point field goal percentage in league games. Rogers has 15 blocked shots over his last 11 games. He had 15 points, four rebounds, three steals, and two blocked shots vs. Valparaiso in the 2024 MVC Men's Basketball Tournament.
 
Aidan Noyes has provided a major contribution off the bench during conference play. The Cincinnati, Ohio native has a 63 percent total shooting percentage in MVC games, including 13 points vs. Southern Illinois, 11 points at Murray State, and 11 points vs. Missouri State. He has made at least one 3-point field goal in 12 of his last 16 games.
 
Drew Scharnowski had four points and two rebounds vs. Illinois State. He had a career-high 20 points and eight rebounds at Murray State. The 6-9 forward has made 23 game appearances, and he scored 12 points on 6-for-7 shooting at Lipscomb.
 
Sam Orme has been a steady frontcourt player for the Bruins. The Carmel, Indiana native has posted 11 double figure scoring games, including 84 points over his last seven games. Orme had 11 points, five rebounds, two assists, and one blocked shot vs. Illinois State. He was named to the MVC All-Freshman Team Wednesday.
 
Brody Peebles scored in double figures in six straight games during February. The Hartselle, Alabama native has a team-high 55 career double figure scoring games. He reached 1,000 points for his career earlier this month, which included three seasons at Liberty. He scored 11 points vs. Illinois State. The 6-2 guard was named to the MVC All-Bench Team Monday.
 
Belmont leads the MVC in points per game, assists per game and assist-turnover ratio.
 
Belmont has won 40 Missouri Valley Conference games since joining the league in 2022-23, third behind only Drake (48) and Bradley (43).
 
In victories over Indiana State, Missouri State, and Murray State to close the regular season, Belmont put together its best stretch of three consecutive defensive efficiency performances of the season; the Bruins limited Murray State to 33 percent shooting and recorded a season-best .838 points-per-possession (PPP) defensive rating per Ken Pomeroy.
 
This marks the first time since its inaugural NCAA Division I season of 1996-97 that Belmont enters a campaign having to replace all five starters.

What's Bruin

• Belmont is the only NCAA Division I institution in the nation to win 20 or more games nine consecutive seasons in men's and women's basketball.
• Belmont has 140 victories since the start of the 2020 season, ranking 15^th  nationally.
• Belmont has won 20 conference championships (eight tournament, 12 regular season) since 2006. Only Gonzaga and Kansas have won more conference championships over that span.
• Belmont's 452 victories since 2007 leads the state of Tennessee - including Tennessee, Memphis, and Vanderbilt.
• This marks the first time since the 2013-14 season that Belmont enters a campaign without a returning all-conference player. That season, led by OVC Player of the Year and AP All-America Honorable Mention selection JJ Mann, Belmont won the OVC, won 26 games and reached the Postseason NIT Elite 8.
• Belmont finished Top 3 in the Missouri Valley Conference in 10 statistical categories in 2023-24 and ranked among national leaders in 3-point field goal percentage, effective field goal percentage, assists and scoring offense.
• Belmont head coach Casey Alexander is one of five NCAA Division I head coaches to win 20 or more games in nine consecutive seasons, joining Dana Altman (Oregon), Mark Few (Gonzaga), Greg McDermott (Creighton), and Kelvin Sampson (Houston). Bill Self (Kansas) can join.

 
Each of Belmont's last three conference tournament championships have come on game-winning shots (Kerron Johnson, Taylor Barnette, Tyler Scanlon).
 
This marks the seventh meeting between Belmont and Drake. Belmont won, 87-65, Jan. 7, 2024, and won, 74-69, Nov. 25, 2021 in the ESPN Events Invitational in Kissimmee, Florida.
 
Tip-off is set for 2:30 p.m. CT from the Enterprise Center in St. Louis. The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network. The live play-by-play of Voice of the Bruins Steve Layman can be heard on Belmont Bruins Radio. In-game updates will be available via Twitter @BelmontMBB.

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.

Stay up to date with all of Belmont's athletic programs via the official app of the Belmont Bruins, available both in the Apple App Store and on Google Play.
 
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.