Men's Basketball Hosts Centre Thursday

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - - Belmont men's basketball returns to game action Thursday vs. Centre.
 
Belmont defeated Southern Indiana Monday in the regular season opener.
 
Jack Smiley scored a career-high 24 points while Bez Jenkins provided 10 points and four rebounds.
 
Vincent Neugebauer added seven points, two rebounds, two steals, and three blocked shots in his Bruin debut.
 
Belmont won the Missouri Valley Conference regular season championship last season, as the Bruins were ranked Top 50 for virtually the entire season.
 
Belmont returns six players from its conference championship team and welcomes nine newcomers – tied for the most newcomers on a Bruin roster in the program's NCAA Division I era.
 
In fact, for the first time in program history, Belmont does not have a roster member with more than one year of game experience in a Bruin uniform.
 
Smiley and Eoin Dillon were named to the MVC Preseason Watch List, while Jenkins was named Preseason All-MVC by Lindy's.
 
The trio combined to score nearly 800 points and record 36 double figure scoring games last season.
 
Belmont also returns team captain Isaiah West – one of the top career steals leaders in the MVC – instant offense guard Cooper Haynes and Gonzaga transfer Graydon Lemke.
 
Centre posted a 14-12 record last season.
 
The Colonels were picked second in the Southern Athletic Association preseason poll.
 
Centre is led by guard Drake Ingram. The Knoxville, Tennessee native averaged 15.4 points per game last season in earning All-SAA honors.
 
What's Bruin

• Belmont is the only NCAA Division I institution in the nation to win 20 or more games 11 consecutive seasons in men's and women's basketball.
• Belmont has 167 victories this decade, ranking Top 15 nationally entering the season.
• Belmont has won 21 conference championships (eight tournament, 13 regular season) since 2006. Only Gonzaga and Kansas have won more conference championships over that span.
• Belmont, Houston and Louisville are in an exclusive fraternity of programs to win men's basketball conference championships in three different leagues over the last two decades.
• Belmont's 479 victories since 2007 leads the state of Tennessee - including Tennessee, Memphis, and Vanderbilt.
• Belmont led the nation in effective field goal percentage in 2025-26, and ranked Top 50 in 11 statistical categories.
• Belmont ranked third nationally in true road victories in 2025-26, behind only Miami (OH), and SFA. Belmont also ranked third nationally in Q2 road victories, behind only UConn and St. John's.
• Missouri Valley Conference teams are 13-5 in their first game in the NCAA tourney dating back to 2012. The league has combined for 21 wins in the NCAA Tournament in the past 13 NCAA championships and has had multiple bids 16 times since 1994.

 
Former Belmont standout Wes Burtner ('02) played for Rick Byrd and ranks fourth on the Bruins' NCAA Division I era career scoring list with 1,833 points. Burtner's son, Max, is a sophomore forward at Centre. Max grew up attending Belmont games and camps.
 
Aside from Burtner, the state of Kentucky has provided Belmont several men's basketball players including Taylor Barnette (Lexington), Keaton Belcher (Butler), and Adam Kunkel (Hebron).
 
This marks the second meeting between Belmont and Centre. Belmont won the previous meeting during the 1972-73 season.

Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. CT from the Curb Event Center. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and the ESPN app. 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 season tickets – which include the entire men's and women's basketball home schedule – are on sale now at belmontbruins.com/tickets. 
 
Belmont is proud to continue its Military Appreciation Ticket Program presented by Edley's – whereby all active military and veterans – and up to four guests – receive FREE admission to all men's and women's basketball games at the Curb Event Center.
 
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 21 conference championships since 2006 - third-most nationally over that span (behind Gonzaga and Kansas). Belmont has won 20 or more games in 16 consecutive seasons (alongside Gonzaga and Kansas) and 19 or more games in 21 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 20 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 11 consecutive seasons.
 
How to Follow
Follow Belmont men's basketball on social media - @BelmontMBB on X, formerly Twitter and @belmont_mbb on Instagram - for complete coverage of the Bruins. 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.