The Belmont Bruins (15-6, 8-2 MVC) pay a visit to Evansville, Indiana and the Ford Center on Wednesday to play against the Evansville Purple Aces (4-17, 0-10 MVC) in a Missouri Valley Conference game. Belmont is tied for first in MVC with Southern Illinois and defeated the Bradley Braves 78-76 on Saturday for their sixth consecutive victory. Evansville is the polar opposite of Belmont, as the Purple Aces are last in the MVC standings. The Purple Aces were defeated by the Drake Bulldogs 97-61 on Saturday. Evansville has lost each of its last eight games. Belmont and Evansville do not have any players listed on their respective injury reports.
Belmont is tied for first in the Missouri Valley Conference but the Bruins are giving up too much at the defensive end. Belmont is allowing an average of 70.3 points (210th) per game, while opponents are shooting 44.7% (267th) overall and 34.1% (223rd) from three point land. Belmont's offense is scoring an average of 74.8 (121st) points per game, while shooting an above average 46.3% (88th) overall and 40.4% (2nd ) from behind the three-point line.
Ben Sheppard is the leading scorer for Belmont with an average of 18.5 points per game. The guard is shooting 46.1% overall and an impressive 41.6% from behind the three-point line. Sheppard has made 57 of 137 attempts from three-point land. The second leading scorer is Cade Tyson with an average of 13.0 points per game. Tyson is shooting 45.3% overall and 42.5% from long range. Each of the top three scorers for Belmont are shooting between 41.6% and 48.7% from three point land. Sheppard is the leader in assists with an average of 3.4 dishes per contest. Belmont averages 31.0 rebounds per game led by Sheppard with an average of 5.0 boards per contest. Ja’Kobi Gillespie is the leader in steals with an average of 1.6 per game, while the rim protector is Even Brauns with an average of 1.5 block shots per game.