Men's Basketball Defeats Murray State Behind Epic Second Half

MURRAY, Ky. - - Words seem insufficient.
 
In an epic reversal of fortune of historic proportions, Belmont University men's basketball defeated Murray State, 87-70, Sunday night from the CFSB Center.
 
Trailing 45-26 with 18:19 left, Belmont outscored Murray State, 63-31, in the second half for its 11^th victory in its last 12 games to stay atop the Missouri Valley Conference standings.
 
It was a comeback of equal parts courage, belief, and resiliency, as the Bruins channeled the form of one of the nation's winningest programs over the last two decades.
 
Belmont leads the nation with 13 victories away from home – two more than UCLA, Texas, and SMU combined.
 
Belmont is tied with Michigan, UConn, Saint Louis, and High Point with 24 victories – third in America.
 
After delivering an early knockout punch in their 103-86 victory over Murray State in Nashville Jan. 31, this game featured strong defense to start.
 
Belmont held Murray State scoreless for nearly the first four minutes of the game before KJ Tenner keyed a 10-0 run.
 
After an Aidan Noyes 3-pointer, two free throws from Javon Jackson and a Layne Taylor 3-pointer gave Murray State a 19-6 lead seven and a half minutes in.
 
3-pointers from Eoin Dillon and Tyler Lundblade got Belmont within seven points, but transition and second-chance opportunities supported Murray State's scoring.
 
Strong drives from Noyes, Isaiah West, and Brigham Rogers got Belmont within 33-24.
 
Murray State scored the final six points of the first half as one Mason Miller free throw and five Tenner points gave Murray State a 39-24 lead at halftime.
 
Belmont shot 31 percent (8-for-26) from the field in the opening 20 minutes – including 3-for-10 from 3-point distance.
 
Belmont limited Murray State to 42 percent shooting – but nine fast break points enabled the Racers to build a working margin.
 
A Fred King dunk and a Jackson 3-pointer gave Murray State a 45-26 lead with 18:19 left.
 
But Belmont methodically worked into an offensive rhythm and momentum swung in a significant way.
 
A Drew Scharnowski dunk sparked the run as Lundblade and Jack Smiley combined to score 10 points in less than three minutes to make the score 45-39 with 15:24 left.
 
After a Dylan Anderson putback basket, the huge Belmont run continued as a Scharnowski conventional 3-point play followed by a Sam Orme layin got Belmont within 47-44 with 13:27 left.
 
Then after another strong defensive stop, Smiley went coast-to-coast for another conventional 3-point play to tie the score at 47 with 13:05 left.
 
Belmont had stomped out a 19-point deficit in five minutes – bringing murmurs and uneasiness to the partisan CFSB crowd.
 
A Lundblade 3-pointer gave Belmont a 50-49 lead – its first lead since 3-0.
 
From there Smiley took control, scoring or assisting on nine straight points as Belmont led 61-56 with 6:55 left.
 
With Scharnowski and Fred King in foul trouble, Belmont limited Murray State to contested shots and protected the defensive rebounds.
 
After two Dillon free throws, Smiley kept things going with a determined layin and a transition 3-pointer to extend the margin to 10, 68-58, with 5:07 left.
 
Belmont spacing and crisp passing resulted in high percentage shots down the stretch.
 
Dillon and Orme would combine for 17 points in the final 4:47 to secure the victory.
 
The second half box score was something to behold.
 
Belmont shot 69 percent (22-for-32) from the field – including 7-for-10 from 3-point distance. Belmont went 12-for-13 from the free throw line, outscored Murray State, 30-8, in points in the paint, and 11-0, in points off turnovers.
 
Belmont limited Murray State to 33 percent shooting and forced eight turnovers.
 
Belmont's 63 points in the second half represent the most points scored in a half since scoring 64 in the second half vs. Bethel (Ind.), Dec. 18, 2021.
 
The 63 points are also believed to be the most points scored in a half against Murray State at the CFSB Center.
 
It marked Belmont's 10^th 50-point second half of the season.
 
Smiley led four Belmont players in double figures with a career-high 21 points. He added four rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
 
Dillon had 19 points and a career-high eight rebounds.
 
Orme had 16 points, seven rebounds, and two assists.
 
Lundblade had 12 points, four rebounds, and four assists. He has 203 3-pointers since the start of the 2024-25 season.
 
Tenner led Murray State (19-9, 11-6 MVC) with 21 points.
 
Belmont has won 11 of the last 14 meetings vs. Murray State, including seven of the eight meetings in Missouri Valley Conference play. Belmont has won three straight games at the CFSB Center, by a combined 57 points.
 
Belmont (24-4, 14-3 MVC) returns to game action Feb. 21 vs. Indiana 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 16 consecutive seasons (alongside Gonzaga; Kansas and Oregon) and 19 or more games in 21 consecutive seasons (alongside Gonzaga and Kansas; San Diego State can join). 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.
 
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