Scharnowski Basket Helps Lift Men's Basketball Over Valparaiso

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Drew Scharnowski scored a go-ahead basket with 11 seconds left as Belmont University men's basketball defeated Valparaiso, 78-74, Tuesday night from the Curb Event Center.
 
Isaiah West, who provided the game-winning assist in Belmont's victory at Drake Jan. 10, served as primary defender on Valparaiso's final possession, forcing Rakim Chaney to miss a 3-point field goal attempt with three seconds left.
 
Tyler Lundblade made two free throws to provide the final margin.
 
Bez Jenkins and Jack Smiley fueled Belmont to a 15-7 lead seven minutes into the game.
 
Brody Whitaker carried much of the first-half scoring load for Valparaiso, as his nine early points kept the Beacons within range.
 
Owen Dease then made a 3-pointer and had a four-point play to tie the score at 17.
 
Foul trouble for Sam Orme and Scharnowski hindered some of Belmont's offensive rhythm. Jenkins and Eoin Dillon scored eight of Belmont's final 11 points of the first half as Belmont led 41-39 at halftime.
 
Belmont shot 57 percent (16-for-28) from the field in the opening 20 minutes – including 7-for-12 from 3-point distance.
 
Valparaiso took advantage of 10 second-chance points.
 
Baskets from Orme, West, and a Scharnowski dunk made the score 47-42 with 18:19 left.
 
After a Rakim Chaney basket and one Justus McNair free throw, Belmont continued to play aggressively as baskets from Jenkins, Jack Smiley, and two West free throws extended the margin to 10, 60-50, with 11:41 left.
 
Despite quality bench contributions from Tucker Tornatta, Rogers contributed two more determined post scores to give Belmont a 66-54 lead with 8:31 remaining.
 
Uncharacteristically questionable Belmont shot selection and more second-chance opportunities would help Valparaiso work back into the game.
 
A second-chance 3-pointer from Chaney and scores from Dease and JT Pettigrew got Valparaiso within 68-62 with 6:11 left.
 
After an Orme spinning layin, two Chaney free throws and a Dease 3-pointer made the score 70-67 with 4:15 left.
 
A driving score from Scharnowski gave Belmont a 72-69 lead with 1:51 left, before Chaney tied the game with a 3-pointer.
 
Following a timeout, Belmont turned to Dillon who made a confident move along the baseline to put Belmont ahead, 74-72, with 1:07 left.
 
Belmont defended well on its next possession, but late in the shot clock Chaney drove and found Shon Tupuola for a dunk that tied the game at 74 with 37 seconds left.
 
From there, Belmont again went to Dillon, who remained patient and passed to Scharnowski under the basket for a contested score with 11 seconds left.
 
Belmont made defensive substitutions as Valparaiso discussed its final possession.
 
Chaney had an initial drive cut off by West and elected to shoot a difficult 3-point attempt with three seconds left.
 
His shot missed and went out of bounds.
 
Valparaiso then fouled Lundblade with just over one second left, and his two free throws provided the final margin.
 
All told, Belmont shot 56 percent (32-for-57) from the field. The Bruins outscored Valparaiso, 46-20, in points in the paint, and 29-8 in bench points.
 
Jenkins led five Belmont players in double figures with 17 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two blocked shots.
 
Dillon had 12 points and three rebounds.
 
Smiley scored 11. Scharnowski had 10 points, seven rebounds, and three assists.
 
Orme had 10 points and three assists.
 
Dease led Valparaiso (8-10, 2-5 MVC) with 24 points.
 
Belmont (16-3, 6-2 MVC) returns to game action Saturday at Southern Illinois.
 
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.