Men's Basketball Takes [rv/rv] Drake to the Wire

ST. LOUIS - - Belmont University men's basketball dropped a hard-fought 57-50 decision to [rv/rv] Drake in the semifinal round of the 2025 Missouri Valley Conference Men's Basketball Tournament Saturday from the Enterprise Center.
 
Despite leading for the first 30 minutes of the game against the top-seeded Bulldogs, free throws and turnovers hurt Belmont in the second 20 minutes and spoiled a courageous defensive effort.
 
Drake scored the final seven points after the game was tied at 50 with 2:12 left.
 
Belmont entered having recorded its top three defensive games of the season in successive victories over Missouri State, Murray State and Illinois State – the latter in impressive fashion in the quarterfinal round.
 
Drake entered as the national leader in victories and top 25 nationally in scoring defense, scoring margin, rebound margin, and steals.
 
Moreover, the contrast in styles was fascinating as Belmont – the MVC leader in scoring offense and assists and second in the conference in tempo – faced a Drake team ranked 364^th in offensive possessions.
 
The game also featured two of the best coaches in college basketball with Belmont head coach Casey Alexander facing Drake head coach Ben McCollum.
 
The game was scoreless for the first 2:34 of the game before Tyler Lundblade made a trademark 3-point field goal to open scoring.
 
Brigham Rogers added one free throw and Carter Whitt provided a determined drive down the left side of the lane as Belmont led 6-3.
 
The Bruins asserted themselves defensively and on the glass, limiting Drake to contested shot attempts late in the shot clock.
 
Rogers, who was instrumental in Belmont's quarterfinal victory with his defensive extra effort plays, picked up his second personal foul at the 13:23 mark.
 
Nevertheless, 3-pointers from Isaiah Walker and Jonathan Pierre increased the lead to 12-7 seven minutes.
 
Belmont adhered to its scouting report and game plan as Drake made one field goal over a six-minute stretch.
 
Baskets from Drew Scharnowski, Lundblade, Whitt, and Walker made the score 21-10 with 8:03 left in the first half.
 
After four Drake points, Whitt delivered back-to-back on-point assists – one a fullcourt pass to Scharnowski and the second to Pierre in transition for 3-pointer – to give the Bruins a 26-14 lead.
 
Orme and Whitt delivered tough two-point baskets to extend the margin to 12, 30-18, which matched Drake's biggest deficit of the season.

Daniel Abreu made a 3-pointer with 16 seconds left in the first half as Belmont led 30-21 at halftime.
 
It was another outstanding first half on both ends of the floor for the Bruins.
 
Belmont shot 52 percent (12-for-23) from the field in the opening 20 minutes – including 5-for-14 from 3-point distance.
 
Meanwhile, Belmont limited Drake – one of the nation's most efficient offenses – to 35 percent shooting and two free throw attempts while forcing nine Bulldog turnovers.
 
MVC Player of the Year Bennett Stirtz would make his presence felt to start the second half; the point guard scored eight consecutive points in the first 2:36 after halftime as Drake closed within 30-29.
 
Orme would score a second-chance basket along the baseline and Whitt made a turnaround jump shot as Belmont increased the margin to three, 34-31, with 14:31 left.
 
After Drake tied the game, Scharnowski found Orme for a 3-pointer to re-establish a three-point advantage.
 
In particular, Scharnowski was active and productive, contesting shots, battling for rebounds, and finishing inside.
 
A series of turnovers midway through the half initiated an 8-0 Drake run, as Abreu scored a driving layin to give Drake a 44-39 lead with 8:23 remaining.
 
Belmont had controlled the lion's share of the game, but now needed to respond with offensive execution and continued defensive stinginess.
 
Four points from Orme and a twisting Lundblade 3-pointer tied the score at 46 with 4:28 left.
 
Fouls began to mount, and Tavion Banks made two free throws after being awarded an opportunity as the shot clock expired with 3:55 left.
 
Then following a Pierre missed 3-point field goal, Belmont defended another Drake offensive possession deep into the shot clock; swarming Stirtz as he attempted to create separation for a desperation shot attempt before the clock hit zero.
 
However, officials whistled a personal foul on Pierre prior to the shot clock violation and awarded Stirtz two free throws with 3:10 left and Drake leading 48-46.
 
Before play resumed, officials whistled a technical foul on Belmont head coach Casey Alexander asking for clarification on the call.
 
Mitch Mascari and Stirtz each made one free throw as the margin increased to four points.
 
It was a critical juncture in the game that helped the top-seeded Bulldogs gain a two-possession lead.
 
But the Bruins continued to persevere and fight.
 
Two Walker free throws, a defensive stop, and a great setup from Whitt to Orme tied the game at 50 with 2:12 remaining.
 
Coach Alexander did an expert job of offensive for defensive substitutions in the second half, working around fouls for Rogers and Orme.
 
Belmont forced a tough 3-point attempt from Stirtz with 1:46 left, but Cam Manyawu grabbed a contested offensive rebound and scored a putback basket to give Drake a two-point lead.
 
Following a timeout, Belmont designed a beautiful play to free Pierre for a go-ahead corner 3-point with 1:27 left but the shot rimmed out.
 
Drake worked the ball into the frontcourt and Whitt tried to go for a steal at midcourt on Stirtz but was whistled for a foul with 1:08 remaining.
 
Stirtz made both free throws to make the score 54-50.
 
Belmont then worked to free sharpshooter Lundblade, who had a contested 3-point attempt dance around the rim and dip off with 55 seconds left.
 
The Bruins then extended pressure defense and forced an errant Drake pass, which Pierre stole in the frontcourt.
 
Whitt then found Walker along the baseline, but his layin attempt with 27 seconds left was blocked by Abreu and Drake gained possession.
 
Drake would make three free throws in the final 21 seconds to provide the final outcome.
 
It was a searing setback, considering the courage, attentiveness, and competitive spirit Belmont had played with.
 
After limiting Drake – 14^th nationally in offensive free throw reliance – to two free throw attempts in the first half, Drake attempted 23 free throws in the second half.
 
All told, Belmont held Drake to a season-low 17 made field goals, 38 percent field goal percentage, its lowest offensive efficiency game in MVC play (second-lowest of the season), its second-lowest point total of the season, and its lowest offensive rebounding game since Feb. 12.
 
Orme led Belmont with 13 points and six rebounds.
 
Lundblade had nine points. Whitt had eight points, three rebounds and six assists.
 
Scharnowski had six points, five rebounds, and two blocked shots.
 
Stirtz led Drake (29-3) with 24 points.
 
Belmont is 22-11.
 
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.