Men's Basketball Earns Convincing Team Victory at Northern Iowa

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - - Behind a career-high 19 points and six assists from Jack Smiley, Belmont University men's basketball defeated Northern Iowa, 78-65, Wednesday night from the McLeod Center.
 
Drew Scharnowski added 18 points, nine rebounds, and three assists as Belmont won its eighth game away from home this season – by a combined margin of +163 points.
 
Belmont shot 60 percent from the field and scored 78 points against a Northern Iowa team that entered play leading the nation in scoring defense and 3-point field goal percentage defense, having not allowed 70 points in regulation this season.
 
Playing without starting point guard Nic McClain for a second consecutive game, Belmont took control five minutes into the game.
 
Smiley scored eight straight points in less than two minutes as Belmont took a 17-9 lead.
 
After a Ben Schwieger free throw, Belmont punctuated the 16-2 run with a Tyler Lundblade 3-pointer, a Scharnowski basket, and another confident Smiley finish.
 
An Eoin Dillon 3-pointer and a Scharnowski finish off a Smiley feed helped Belmont maintain a double-figure lead as the Bruins showcased purpose, poise, and resolve.
 
But after a rare Belmont miss, consecutive 3-pointers from Max Weisbrod and Trey Campbell got Northern Iowa within 32-25 with 4:22 left in the first half.
 
Belmont managed some early foul trouble – and received a timely putback basket from Bez Jenkins – before Ismael Diouf closed the margin to 34-32.
 
Lundblade would make a contested baseline jump shot to close the first half as Belmont led 36-32 at halftime.
 
Belmont shot 52 percent from the field in the opening 20 minutes – and limited Northern Iowa to zero second-chance points.
 
Lundblade open second half scoring with a 3-pointer, as Belmont took its intensity, focus, and execution to even another level.
 
Two more determined finishes from Scharnowski inside increased the lead to nine, 43-34, with 17:59 left.
 
A Kyle Pock basket got Northern Iowa within five points, Smiley and Lundblade answered with back-to-back layins to make the score, 50-41, with 14:27 left.
 
Northern Iowa got as close as 54-51 on a Leon Bond 3-point before Belmont delivered 16-2 run to take control.
 
Smiley, Scharnowski, and Jenkins combined on all 16 points as the lead extended to 69-53 with 6:10 left.
 
More strong defense and rebounding – and a thunderous driving slam from Isaiah West with 2:11 left – helped secure the outcome.
 
All told, Belmont shot 71 percent (15-for-21) from the field in the second half. The Bruins outrebounded Northern Iowa, 34-26, and outscored the Panthers, 38-22, in points in the paint.
 
Belmont limited Northern Iowa to 39 percent shooting.
 
Belmont handed out 17 assists and committed only six turnovers.
 
Smiley led three Belmont players in double figures with 19 points, six assists, and three rebounds. Scharnowski continued his fine play with 18 points, nine rebounds, and three assists.
 
Lundblade had 14 points and five rebounds.
 
Schwieger and Weisbrod each scored 12 for Northern Iowa (12-4, 4-1 MVC).
 
Belmont has now defeated respected national programs Northern Iowa, UC Irvine, Middle Tennessee, and College of Charleston away from home by a combined 83 points.
 
Belmont has won three of its four visits to the McLeod Center.
 
Belmont (14-3, 4-2 MVC) returns to game action Saturday at Drake.
 
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.