Know Your Foe: Belmont Bruins
2023 record: 8-3
Last game: 75-65 W at Middle Tennessee (December 9)
Head Coach: Casey Alexander (5th year)
Previous stop: HC at Lipscomb University (2013-2019)
Last meeting: Belmont W, 79-56 (2022)
TV: ESPN+
Tip: 2:00pm CT
Fun? Fact: Belmont has won 4 of the 5 matchups in series history.
Team Overview:
The Belmont Bruins come to Homewood with a winning streak of their own with six straight victories. Belmont basketball has been one of the premier mid-major programs in college basketball as they have eight NCAA Tournament appearances albeit zero wins. KenPom projects this game to be in the high 80s so it should be fun. Let’s dive into what makes this Belmont team go.
Belmont has always been known for playing great team basketball. Most of that was under former head coach Rick Byrd who coached in Nashville for 33 years. Still Casey Alexander has continued that trend who was an assistant under Byrd for 16 years.
Just like Samford, Belmont is top 40 in the country per KenPom in three-point percentage at 38.3%. Belmont also ranks 31st in the country in effective field goal percentage at 55.8%. This team does struggle some on the defensive end, as they are 235th in the country in adjusted defensive efficiency per KenPom.
Samford is the best three-point shooting opponent per percentage that Belmont will see so far. As we mentioned on the latest State of the Bulldogs, both teams being able run each other off of the three-point line will be key.
The Bruins do have three different players that average more than 16 points per game. F Cade Tyson, a 6’7” sophomore, averages 17.1 points per game. He excels at shooting behind the arc as he is a 41% shooter and using his length well defensively. Sixth man F Malik Dia averages 16.8 PPG along with 5.5 rebounds per game which leads the team. Dia had 22 points last time out at Middle Tennesee.
Then look out for G Ja’Kobi Gillespie who averages 16.6 points per game and has not scored fewer than 12 points in a game. Belmont is especially dangerous with this trio of players who can score in bunches any given night.
There is an interesting connection with Samford in freshman guard Win Miller. Miller is from Alabama who played his high school ball at Vestavia Hills High School. His parents, Grandfather, and great-Grandfather all played sports at Samford. The press box at Samford’s baseball stadium is named after his grandfather, Carl E. Miller, Jr.
This Saturday afternoon at the Pete Hanna Center is shaping up to be a great one between the Bulldogs and Bruins. It will come down to which team plays better defensively as both teams can score. I’ll be there. You should be there too.
