PDF Box Score
NASHVILLE – Belmont players had the hot hand for the most of the night as the Bruins beat Eastern Illinois, 99-58, on Thursday night to give Belmont head coach Rick Byrd his 800th career win.
EIU fell to 14-14 overall, 7-8 in the OVC. Belmont improved to 22-4 overall, 13-2 in the OVC. The Panthers wrap up the Nashville swing of the conference schedule on Saturday with a 7:30 p.m. game at Tennessee State.
Eastern Illinois cut an early Belmont lead in half as
Mack Smith's jumper trimmed the Bruins lead to 31-24 with 8:15 remaining in the first half.
EIU would hit a cold spell following that as Belmont used a 19-0 run late in the first half to extend their halftime margin to 53-29. Belmont ended the first half shooting 63 percent from the floor including 9-of-17 from 3-point range.Â
Belmont added to its lead in the second with a 10-0 run midway through the half. Dylan Windler and Michael Benkert dropped in 3-pointers for the Bruins during the run.Â
Mack Smith would end the run with a pair of free throws with 9:33 to play. Smith finished with ten points for the Panthers including making a 3-pointer for an NCAA leading 45th straight game.
The Bruins continued to hit from beyond the arc as they finished the game with 18 3-pointeers. Windler hit five to finish with 22 points. Nick Muszynski provided the offense from the low block finishing with 18.
Belmont finished the night shooting 60 percent from the floor. EIU shot 37 percent during the contest.Â
Rade Kukobat had 11 points to lead EIU.Â