BASKETBALL GAME NOTES GAME ELEVEN • UT MARTIN • JANUARY 2 2020-21 SCHEDULE/RESULTS BRUIN SNAPSHOT Record: (9-1) Belmont Basketball returns to game action NOVEMBER Saturday at UT Martin. The Bruins defeated Murray 1 State, 68-55, Wednesday. Ben Sheppard scored a 26 vs. Howard (ESPN3) W, 95-78 career-high 21 points. 27 1vs. George Mason (ESPN3) W, 77-67 Belmont defeated Murray State, 76-75, in 28 1vs. Queens (NC) (ESPN3) W, 73-61 the 2020 OVC Championship on Tyler Scanlon’s reverse layin with 3.8 seconds remaining. The Bruins DECEMBER were the second program in America to earn an auto- GAME ELEVEN 5 SAMFORD (ESPN+) L, 83-96 matic bid to the 2020 NCAA Tournament, before BELMONT 8 *TENNESSEE STATE (ESPN+) W, 79-64 March Madness was cancelled. Last season, Belmont claimed its 11th regu- AT 12 at Lipscomb (ESPN+) W, 81-71 lar season conference championship in 15 years, sixth 16 KENNESAW STATE (ESPN+) W, 64-53 in eight years of OVC membership. UT MARTIN 18 *at Tennessee State (ESPN+) W, 88-63 Belmont returns All-OVC performers Nick Muszynski and Grayson Murphy, each among the 21 at Evansville (ESPN+) W, 72-63 most accomplished juniors in college basketball. Date: Jan. 2, 2021 30 *MURRAY STATE (ESPNU) W, 68-55 Second-year head coach Casey Alexander is back following the retirement of hall of fame coach Time: 4 p.m. CT JANUARY Rick Byrd after the Bruins’ 2019 NCAA Tournament 2 *at UT Martin (ESPN+) 4 p.m. at-large season. Byrd won 805 career games, 12th all- Location: Martin, Tenn. 7 *SOUTHEAST MISSOURI (ESPN+) 6:30 p.m. time in college basketball history. This marks the 42nd meeting between Arena: Elam Center 9 *UT MARTIN (ESPN+) 4 p.m. Belmont and UT Martin. TV: ESPN+ 14 *at Tennessee Tech (ESPN+) 8 p.m. Radio: Bruin Sports Network 16 *at Jacksonville State (ESPN+) 4 p.m. PROGRAM PROFILE 21 *EASTERN ILLINOIS (ESPN+) 7 p.m. George Plaster (play-by-play) • Belmont Basketball has won 20+ games and earned 23 *SIU EDWARDSVILLE (ESPN+) 4 p.m. postseason play 14 of the last 15 years. That includes Greg Sage (color) 28 *at Austin Peay (ESPN+) 7:30 p.m. NCAA Tournament appearances in 2006, 2007, 2008, Coaches: 30 *at Murray State (ESPN+) 7:30 p.m. 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2019 & 2020). FEBRUARY • Belmont is one of only six NCAA Division I pro- Belmont 4 *at Eastern Illinois (ESPN+) 7:30 p.m. grams to win 19 or more games 15 consecutive sea- Casey Alexander (Belmont, ‘95) sons (Duke, Gonzaga, Kansas, Michigan State, San 6 *at SIU Edwardsville (ESPN+) 12:30 p.m. Diego State). Overall: 172-128 (10th year) 11 *EASTERN KENTUCKY (ESPN+) 7 p.m. 13 *MOREHEAD STATE (ESPN+) 4 p.m. • Belmont enters the 2019-20 season as one of only at Belmont: 35-8 (2nd year) six non-Power 5 programs to post a Top 100 ranking 18 *JACKSONVILLE STATE (ESPN+) 7 p.m. each of the last 10 seasons. UT Martin 20 *TENNESSEE TECH (ESPN+) 4 p.m. • Belmont has posted 288 conference wins since 2003 Montez Robinson (N. Georgia, ‘02) 25 *at Eastern Kentucky (ESPN+) 7 p.m. (includes tournament), second to Gonzaga. Overall: 72-89 (6th year) 27 *at Morehead State (ESPN+) 3 p.m. MARCH • Belmont has won 19 conference championships at UT Martin: 3-3 (1st year) (eight tournament, 11 regular season) since 2006. 3-6 2OVC Championship (ESPN) TBD Only Gonzaga and Kansas have won more confer- Series History: ence championships over that span. 42nd meeting; 21-20 • Belmont has made the most three-point field goals in the nation since going from the NAIA to NCAA (9-0 NCAA) 1 - DC Paradise Jam (Washington, D.C.) Division I in 1996-97 (Duke second). Streak: W9 2 - OVC Tournament (Evansville, Ind.) • Since 2000-01, Belmont Basketball leads the nation Last meeting: 1/11/20 at UTM * - Ohio Valley Conference Game in Academic All-Americans (17), which includes Dylan Windler in 2018-19. W, 85-78 [/] - Reflects national ranking AP/USA Today polls rv - Others receiving votes • Belmont is the only NCAA Division I men’s basket- All times Central ball program to make the NCAA Academic Progress Rate (APR) Honor Roll every year. Home games in BOLD CAPS PROBABLE STARTERS Belmont Bruins (9-1) Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Cl. Hometown PPG RPG G 2 Grayson Murphy 6-2 175 JR Franklin, Tenn. 11.8 8.8 G 3 Luke Smith 6-0 175 JR Knoxville, Tenn. 16.7 2.4 G 22 Ben Sheppard 6-6 185 SO Atlanta, Ga. 8.1 4.4 BELMONT MEDIA RELATIONS F 21 Derek Sabin 6-9 230 SO Slinger, Wis. 1.7 1.7 C 33 Nick Muszynski 6-11 235 JR Pickerington, Ohio 15.7 5.7 MBB Contact: Greg Sage, Assistant AD/Media Relations C 0 Even Brauns 6-9 250 FR Iowa City, Iowa 2.2 1.1 (O) 615.460.6698 G 1 Mitch Listau 6-4 195 SO Waunakee, Wis. 2.9 1.1 F 10 Caleb Hollander 6-8 235 JR Nashville, Tenn. 6.9 5.0 (C) 615.512.3633 F 11 Michael Shanks 6-6 205 FR Bentonville, Ark. 0.5 0.5 (Email) [email protected] G 12 EJ Bellinger 6-4 195 SO St. Peters, Mo. 3.7 2.3 G 20 Tate Pierson 6-6 210 JR Brentwood, Tenn. 2.6 2.3 belmontbruins.com G 24 JaCobi Wood 6-2 180 FR Cleveland, Tenn. 12.1 2.6 F 25 Frank Jakubicek 6-8 235 FR Cary, Ill. 1.8 0.7 @BelmontMBB F 42 Rilee Epley 6-4 195 FR Newburgh, Ind. -- -- NCAA TOURNAMENT 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2019, 2020 BELMONT UNIVERSITY 2020-21 MEN’S BASKETBALL GAME ELEVEN • BELMONT AT UT MARTIN JANUARY 2 • ELAM CENTER • MARTIN, TENN. MEDIA RELATIONS CONTACT: GREG SAGE • [email protected] • 615.512.3633 BROADCASTER CHART 2020-21 Stats Career Highs • All-OVC First Team; OVC DPOY, All-Tournament PTS - 23 at APSU PPG RPG APG 2 • GRAYSON MURPHY • DC Paradise Jam All-Tourney; Preseason All-OVC REBS - 13 at Lipscomb JR • G • 6-2 • 175 • FRANKLIN, TENN. • 2nd NCAA in assist-turnover ratio & steals last year 11.8 8.8 3.9 ASSTS - 16 at UT Martin • Coach Alexander: “Grayson is a flat-out winner” FG% 3FG% FT% STLS - *7 at EKU INDEPENDENCE HS • ‘20 Top rebounding PG in America .586 .346 .600 MINS - *37 vs. GMU • 2x Tennessean All-Midstate Team 2020-21 Stats Career Highs • DC Paradise Jam MVP; OVC POTW; 2x OVC Newcomer PTS - 40 vs. Berry PPG RPG APG 3 • LUKE SMITH • ‘19 NABC All-South District at D3 Sewanee REBS - 8 vs. Berry 16.7 2.4 2.6 JR • G • 6-0 • 175 • KNOXVILLE, TENN. • Led SAA Conference in scoring 20.1 ppg ASSTS - 8 vs. BSU • Led Sewanee to first NCAA appearance since ‘98 FG% 3FG% FT% STLS - 6 vs. Emory UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH • Coach Alexander: “Luke has an uncanny feel” .482 .467 .846 MINS - 42 at Berry • ‘17 Tennessee Mr. Basketball Finalist Knox Catholic 2020-21 Stats Career Highs • Career-high 21 pts vs. Murray St PTS - 21 vs. Murray St 22 • BEN SHEPPARD • 10-4-3 at Lipscomb; 8-5-5 vs. KSU; Can play 1 thru 4 PPG RPG APG REBS - 7 at Evansville SO • G • 6-6 • 185 • ATLANTA, GA. • Impactful during OVC championship run 8.1 4.4 2.6 ASSTS - 5 vs. KSU • Coach Alexander: “Ben’s habits are best I’ve coached” FG% 3FG% FT% STLS - 3 vs. Murray St GREATER ATLANTA CHRISTIAN • 2x Georgia Class AAA First Team All-State .488 .200 .632 MINS - 34 at Lipscomb • Led GAC to ‘18 Georgia AAA State Championship SAY-bin 2020-21 Stats Career Highs • ‘20 redshirt; 18 game appearances in ‘19 PTS - 7 at UT Martin PPG RPG APG 21 • DEREK SABIN • ‘18 WBCA Division II Wisconsin All-State REBS - *5 vs. Howard 1.7 1.7 0.3 SO • G • 6-9 • 230 • SLINGER, WIS. • ‘18 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel All-Area Team ASSTS - *2 vs. SEMO • First career start vs. Murray St FG% 3FG% FT% BLKS - *1 at TSU SLINGER HS • Coach Alexander: “I admire Derek’s physicality” .286 .000 .563 MINS - 21 vs. Murray St • Ivan Drago lookalike mew-ZIN-skee 2020-21 Stats Career Highs • 2x All-OVC First Team, OVC Tournament MVP PTS - 30 at EWU PPG RPG APG 33 • NICK MUSZYNSKI • Preseason All-OVC, Preseason OVC POTY (Blue Ribbon) REBS - 16 vs. EIU 15.7 5.7 1.4 JR • C • 6-11 • 235 • PICKERINGTON, OHIO • ‘19 Basketball Times Freshman All-American ASSTS - *6 at Murray St • 25-8-2 in OVC Championship; 25-16-5-2blks vs. EIU FG% 3FG% FT% BLKS - *5 at Lipscomb ST. CHARLES PREP • Coach Alexander: “Nick wants to get better” .536 .000 .736 MINS - 34 vs. Murray St • Nickname ‘Moose’; HS volleyball standout evan 2020-21 Stats Career Highs • ESPN.com No. 2 Iowa prospect Class of 2020 PTS - 8 vs. Queens 0 • EVEN BRAUNS • IPSWA Iowa All-State PPG RPG APG REBS - 3 at TSU FR • C • 6-9 • 250 • IOWA CITY, IOWA • 8 pts vs. Queens (NC); 2H dunk at Lipscomb 2.2 1.1 0.1 ASSTS - 1 at TSU • Coach Alexander: “Even is a handful on the block” FG% 3FG% FT% BLKS - 1 vs. TSU IOWA CITY WEST HS • Avg 15.6 ppg, 7.3 rpg as HS senior .563 -- .800 MINS - *11 at TSU • Enjoys fishing LISS-tao 2020-21 Stats Career Highs • ‘19; Redshirt; 2x AP Wisconsin All-State PTS - *11 at TSU PPG RPG APG 1 • MITCH LISTAU • Four double figure games last season REBS - 4 vs.