Men's Basketball Falls in the Final 90 Seconds at Illinois State

NORMAL, Ill. - - Belmont University men's basketball dropped an 81-74 decision at Illinois State Sunday from CEFCU Arena.
 
Belmont entered play with an NCAA-leading 13 victories away from home – and led for the first 31 minutes of the game.
 
However, the Bruins endured foul trouble and a 10-4 run to close the game, as Illinois State made its final three field goal attempts.
 
Three early baskets from Drew Scharnowski powered Belmont to an 11-8 lead.
 
Belmont turned strong, active defense into open court opportunities, as a Bez Jenkins dunk and consecutive 3-point field goals from Tyler Lundblade and Jack Smiley made the score 20-13 seven and a half minutes in.
 
As Belmont limited Illinois State to contested shots, another Lundblade 3-pointer and driving scores from Sam Orme and Jack Smiley extended the margin to 11, 30-19, at the 8:18 mark.
 
Lundblade would make the score 33-23 before Belmont worked through an uncharacteristic five-minute scoring drought.
 
Ty Pence led an Illinois State response, as his 10 points tied the score at 35.
 
Belmont responded with determined scores from Smiley and Scharnowski to lead 40-38 at halftime.
 
Belmont shot 53 percent (16-for-30) from the field in the opening 20 minutes – including 7-for-17 from 3-point distance – against one of the nation's top defenses in limiting 3-point field goal attempts and second-chance points.
 
The Bruins were +6 in points in the paint and +7 in fast break points.
 
Lundblade led Belmont with 12 first-half points.
 
Jenkins continued to lead the Belmont charge, as his seven straight points and a Smiley transition 3-pointer gave Belmont a 52-44 lead with 15:17 left.
 
And while Eoin Dillon and Lundblade would add scores, Illinois State responded with several big shots at the end of the shot clock against purposeful Belmont defense.
 
Additionally, Belmont, one of the top defend without fouling teams in the nation, enabled Illinois State to work into the bonus nine minutes into the second half.
 
After a Jenkins dunk made the score 61-52, Boden Skunberg scored eight critical points during an 89-second span.
 
That coupled with four consecutive free throws from reserve big man Brandon Lieb, who entered play 11-for-28 from the free throw line on the season, got Illinois State within 65-64 with 8:05 left.
 
Two Ty'Reek Coleman free throws would give Illinois State its first lead since 8-7.
 
Dillon would respond with a post score to put Belmont back ahead, but with Scharnowski and Rogers in foul trouble, Belmont balanced offensive and defensive lineups down the stretch.
 
Chase Walker would give Illinois State a 71-67 lead with 3:41 left before Lundblade closed the margin within one point with his fifth 3-pointer of the game.
 
After Walker put home his own miss and one Scharnowski free throw, Johnny Kizinger made a twisting layin with 1:56 left with give Illinois State a 75-71 lead.
 
Scharnowski again answered with a dunk on an on-point feed from Orme to get Belmont within two points with 1:30 left.
 
Seeking a defensive stop, Illinois State got another contested driving basket from Pence at the end of the shot clock to push the margin back to two possessions.
 
Following an errant Belmont pass gave Illinois State possession, Smiley forced a 10-second violation with strong pressure defense.
 
However, a Dillon baseline 3-pointer to get within one point was well-defended and missed.
 
Illinois State would make four free throws in the final 21 seconds to secure the outcome.
 
All told, Belmont shot 50 percent (27-for-54) from the field – including 11-for-26 from 3-point distance, the second-most an opponent made against Illinois State this season.
 
Illinois State had 23 free throws attempts for the game – its second-highest total in conference play.
 
Lundblade led four Belmont players with 17 points. Jenkins had 14 points, six rebounds, and three steals.
 
Scharnowski had 11 points and three rebounds while Smiley had 11 points, three rebounds, and four assists.
 
Kinziger led Illinois State (20-11, 12-8 MVC) with 16 points.
 
Belmont had won 13 of its previous 14 games.
 
Belmont (26-5, 16-4 MVC), as the outright MVC regular season champion, will be the No. 1 seed in the upcoming conference tournament.
 
The Bruins will play Friday at 12 p.m. CT vs. either Southern Illinois or 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 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; Oregon can join) 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 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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