Men's Basketball Defeats Southern Illinois

CARBONDALE, Ill. - - Sparked by Jack Smiley and Eoin Dillon, Belmont University men's basketball defeated Southern Illinois, 73-68, Saturday night from the Banterra Center.
 
Dillon led a 12-0 run down the stretch as Belmont went from trailing by five points to leading 69-62 with 20 seconds left.
 
Bez Jenkins had eight points in the final 1:34 as his six free throws and dunk with 11 seconds left helped secure the victory.
 
Belmont leads the nation in true road victories (8) and road/neutral victories (10).
 
After going scoreless for nearly five minutes down the stretch, Jalen Haynes made two 3-pointers in the final eight seconds for Southern Illinois to provide the final score.
 
Brigham Rogers led an outstanding defensive effort as Belmont also closed the first half on a 12-0 run over the final 5:23 to lead 32-24 at halftime.
 
Belmont fought through a condensed backcourt rotation due to injury, as Jack Smiley led strong bench production with timely shot making.
 
Belmont outrebounded Southern Illinois, 41-37, and outscored the Salukis, 42-22, in points in the paint.
 
The Bruins also overcame an uncharacteristically cold 3-point shooting night, winning despite 5-for-25 3-point shooting.
 
Dillon led four Belmont players in double figures with 18 points and four rebounds.
 
Smiley had 14 points and three assists.
 
Jenkins contributed 13 points and six rebounds.
 
Sam Orme had 12 points, seven rebounds, and three assists.
 
Belmont (17-3, 7-2 MVC) returns to game action Jan. 25 vs. Illinois State.
 
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.