Eagles look to avenge loss to Belmont on Saturday at noon

Tickets | Game Notes | Live Audio | Live Stats

MOREHEAD, Ky. - The Morehead State men's basketball team will host Belmont on Saturday afternoon. Tip-off is set for 12 p.m. ET and the game will air live on CBS Sports Network.

The Eagles enter the contest at 13-11 overall and 7-5 in the OVC. They downed EKU, 61-50, on Thursday night, putting a halt to their two-game losing streak.

In the win over EKU, Morehead State held the Colonels to a season-low 50 points. Their previous low was 59 points and they entered the game averaging an OVC-high 82.0 points per game. EKU shot 51 percent from the floor, but managed just 37 shots compared to the Eagles' 60. EKU turned it over a season-high 25 times and it also marked the most miscues that MSU has forced this season. The Morehead State defense also limited Jarelle Reischel, the OVC's leading scorer, to nine points and seven turnovers.

On the season, the Eagles are outscoring their opponents in the paint, 736-634. However, prior to the EKU win, they had struggled in that department in their prevous three games, being outscored down low in each contest (EKU 40-26, BU 34-22, TSU 36-20). On Thursday night, the Eagles got back on track, outscoring EKU 32-16 in the paint. MSU is 2-7 when being outscored in the paint.

Senior forward Anthony Elechi had a big night in the win, scoring a team-high 16 points and adding eight rebounds. His monster dunk midway through the second half extended the Eagles' lead to double digits and they never looked back.

After failing to score double digits in his first nine games, the Elmont, N.Y. native has scored in double digits in 11 of his last 15. He scored a career-high 18 points at SIUE, all of which came in the second half and overtime. He recorded his first double-double of the year with 15 points and a career-high 14 rebounds vs. TTU. His 14 rebounds are the most by an Eagle this year. He is shooting 57 percent on the season, which ranks seventh in the OVC, while averaging 8.5 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 18.8 minutes. He ranks fifth in OVC with 2.7 offensive rebounds per game.

Morehead State lost their previous match-up with Belmont, a 73-67 defeat on Thursday, Feb. 4 at the Curb Events Center.

The Bruins are 18-8 and 10-2 in the OVC. They won their first eight league games, but are just 2-2 in their last four games. Belmont ranks first in the OVC with 81.8 points per game and 272 three-pointers made. Junior Evan Bradds leads the team and ranks fourth in the OVC with 17.6 points per game. He also leads the country with an impressive 71.5 shooting percentage and ranks second in the OVC with 9.8 rebounds.

Belmont owns a 7-1 all-time advantage against Morehead State. Belmont won the first five meetings between the two teams until the Eagles won at home last season, 73-71. MSU is 1-2 against Belmont at Johnson Arena.

The game will air on the CBS Sports Network with Jason Horowitz and Marc Jackson on the call. It will also broadcast on the Eagle Sports Radio Network with Chuck Mraz and Jason Blanton calling all of the action. The radio network includes WIVY-96.3 FM and several affiliates throughout eastern Kentucky. A live audio stream can be found on MSUEagles.com and the Eagle Empire app.