Ben Sheppard couldn’t miss Thursday night, and Murray State couldn’t do anything about it.
The senior guard torched the Racers for 28 points on six three-pointers, powering Belmont to an 82-75 victory that stretched the Bruins’ winning streak to seven games at a raucous Curb Event Center.
“Ben was locked in from the start tonight,” Belmont head coach Casey Alexander said after the win. “When he gets that rhythm going, it opens up everything else for us offensively.”
That rhythm was evident early. The 6-foot-3 Indianapolis native went 10-of-16 from the field and knocked down his first four attempts from beyond the arc, helping the Bruins (18-4, 9-2 Missouri Valley Conference) race to a 23-8 advantage that had the home crowd on its feet.
Defense Travels, Even on Hot Shooting Nights
Belmont’s 52.3% shooting from the field grabbed headlines, but it was the other end that kept Murray State at arm’s length when things got dicey. The Bruins forced 16 turnovers and converted them into 21 points — the kind of defensive opportunism that separates pretenders from contenders in March.
Drew Friberg added 16 points and seven rebounds, while point guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie orchestrated the offense with 12 points and eight assists. Four players reached double figures despite 22 turnovers of their own — a testament to how well they’re moving the ball when they do take care of it.
Williams Nearly Pulls Off the Heist
Down 62-47 with 12:35 remaining, Murray State (14-8, 6-5 MVC) looked finished. Then KJ Williams took over.
The senior forward erupted for 24 points on 9-of-14 shooting, including four second-half threes that sparked a 20-7 run. Suddenly it was 69-67 with 4:18 left, and the Curb Event Center fell eerily quiet.
“We had them on their heels there for a stretch,” Murray State coach Matt McMahon said. “But credit to Belmont – they made the plays when they had to down the stretch.”
Justice Hill chipped in 18 points for the Racers, but they shot just 28.6% from deep despite attempting 21 threes. For a team that entered averaging 9.8 made threes per game — third in the MVC — that cold shooting proved fatal.
Championship Implications Take Shape
The victory vaults Belmont into sole possession of second place in the conference standings, trailing only Drake (11-1) with seven regular season games remaining. More importantly, it’s how they’re winning that should terrify the rest of the league.
The Bruins have allowed fewer than 76 points per game during this seven-game streak, winning nine of their last 10 overall. They haven’t lost since falling to Loyola Chicago on January 3 — ancient history at this point.
“We’re playing our best basketball right now,” Sheppard said. “The chemistry is there, guys are making shots, and our defense is getting stops when we need them. We know Drake is still the team to beat, but we like where we’re sitting.”
Translation: they’re not just chasing Drake anymore. They’re hunting.
The Bruins host Northern Iowa on Saturday afternoon, while Murray State returns home Tuesday against Indiana State. Both games carry major seeding implications for next month’s conference tournament, where the automatic bid — and the dreams that come with it — will be decided.
