Men's Basketball Defeats UIC

CHICAGO - - Behind a game-high 24 points from Tyler Lundblade, Belmont University men's basketball defeated UIC, 68-62, Friday night from Credit Union 1 Arena.
 
Lundblade, the reigning NCAA 3-point champion, made six 3-point field goals as Belmont led wire-to-wire for its ninth straight victory to stay atop the Missouri Valley Conference standings.
 
Belmont leads the nation with 12 victories away from home – more than SMU, UCLA, Texas, and Missouri combined.
 
Belmont is tied with Arizona, UConn, Gonzaga, and Saint Louis with 22 victories – second in America.
 
After becoming the first MVC team to record back-to-back 100-point games in conference victories since Wichita State 44 years ago, the multi-dimensional Bruins found other ways to win.
 
UIC, a Top 60 team nationally according to Torvik over the last month, welcomed its first nationally-televised game in six years and its largest home crowd in recent memory.
 
The Bruins earned five defensive stops to start the game as seven Lundblade points gave Belmont an 8-0 lead three minutes in.
 
A Jack Smiley layin and a baseline 3-pointer from Aidan Noyes extended the lead to 13, 17-4, as Belmont dictated the terms with purposeful defense, rebounding, and offensive execution.
 
Ahmad Henderson worked UIC back into the game before five points from Sam Orme and back-to-back Lundblade 3-pointers made the score 28-18 with 5:42 left in the first half.
 
Belmont had to manage significant foul trouble to four of its primary frontcourt players.
 
UIC closed within 29-24 before Belmont closed the first half on a key 9-2 run.
 
Two more 3-pointers from Noyes and a 3-pointer from Isaiah West – on sharp assists from Bez Jenkins – gave Belmont a 38-26 lead at halftime.
 
Belmont shot 59 percent (13-for-22) from the field in the opening 20 minutes – including 9-for-18 from 3-point distance. Belmont limited UIC to 38 percent shooting in the first half.
 
Lundblade scored six points in the first minute of the second half as Belmont led 44-28 with 19:00 left.
 
Mekhi Lowery carried UIC offensively early in the second half, as his tough finishes inside gave the hosts a lift.
 
Belmont answered with baskets from Orme and Eoin Dillon to lead 51-38 with 13:45 left.
 
UIC closed within 53-45 on a Sam Silverstein basket, but the Bruins proceeded to limit the Flames to one field goal for nearly five minutes.
 
A Smiley 3-pointer and a Dillon baseline score gave Belmont a 58-47 lead with 8:06 left.
 
Drew Scharnowski would add a tough putback basket before a series of empty possessions helped UIC work closer.
 
After going scoreless for the opening 34 minutes of the game, UIC difference maker Elijah Crawford made his presence felt late. His eight points in a 3:05 span got UIC within 62-58 with 2:57 left – as close as the Flames had been since 22-18.
 
On its next possession, Scharnowski drew three defenders and found Lundblade for a 3-pointer that extended the Bruins' lead to seven, 65-58, with 2:39 left.
 
Belmont held UIC without a field goal for four minutes down the stretch, getting free throws from Lundblade and West in the final 30 seconds to secure the victory.
 
All told, Belmont shot 48 percent (23-for-48) from the field – including 13-for-31 from 3-point distance.
 
Belmont handed out 19 assists and had six blocked shots.
 
Belmont limited UIC, one of the nation's top offensive rebounding teams, to six second-chance points.
 
Lundblade led two Belmont players in double figures with 24 points, four rebounds, and two assists.
 
Orme had 15 points, two rebounds, and three assists.
 
Henderson led UIC (13-12, 8-6 MVC) with 14 points.
 
Belmont (22-3, 12-2 MVC) returns to game action Monday at Bradley.
 
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 can join) and 19 or more games in 21 consecutive seasons (alongside Gonzaga; Kansas and 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.
 
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.