Belmont – Leader in the Clubhouse
Casey Alexander’s troops lead the Valley in shooting percentage, three-point percentage and assists. The Bruins are the MVC’s most efficient offensive team. Valley fans are accustomed to seeing Belmont score, but the Bruins are also the league’s third best defensive team (66.3 ppg).
Four Bruins average double digits in scoring and three more add more than six points per contest. Their overall size is different from any Belmont team in memory. Four of Alexander’s most utilized players stand 6’8 or better. None of his guards are shorter than 6’3. They are outrebounding the opposition by nearly six boards per game.
Leading scorer Tyler Lundblade (15.9 ppg) leads the Valley in made three-pointers after leading the nation in three-point percentage last year. Break through star Sam Orme (14.0) is the team’s top rebounder. At 6’8 he can score inside and from long distance.
Point guard Nic McClain leads the league in assists (6.5 per game) and adds 12.1 points per game. McClain’s backcourt mate Jabez Jenkins is a red-shirt freshman who scores (9.2) and is second on the team in rebounds.
Alexander’s pair of 6’9 post players combine to score 19.2 points and 9.6 rebounds per game. Sophomore Drew Scharnowski (10.3) is quicker and runs the floor and junior Brigham Rogers (8.9) is a physical defensive stopper.
Belmont began league play with a win against Illinois Chicago and plays at Evansville Tuesday and then travels for that key out-of-conference game against UC Irvine. The Anteaters are currently 137th in the NET and are a high-level defensive team, ranking 18th nationally in scoring defense.
At large bid hopes are hinged to that Friday night game.