Belmont Bruins Edge Valparaiso Beacons in Thrilling 78-74 Contest
Table of Contents
Belmont University secured a narrow 78-74 victory over Valparaiso on Tuesday night, fueled by a strong performance from Jabez Jenkins and a game-winning layup from Drew Scharnowski with just 11 seconds left on the clock. The win strengthens Belmont’s position in the Missouri Valley Conference.
Bruins Maintain Momentum with Key Conference Win
The Belmont Bruins (16-3, 6-2 Missouri Valley Conference) demonstrated resilience against a determined Valparaiso squad. Jenkins led the Bruins in scoring with 17 points, efficiently shooting 8 of 12 from the field. Supporting Jenkins were Eoin Dillon, who contributed 12 points on a 5-for-7 shooting performance, and Jack Smiley, adding 11 points to the Belmont total.
Dease Shines for Valparaiso in Loss
Despite the loss, the Valparaiso Beacons (8-10, 2-5) received a standout performance from Owen Dease, who topped all scorers with 24 points. Rakim Chaney added 17 points and four assists, while Brody Whitaker finished with 11 points for Valparaiso. The Beacons fought hard, but ultimately fell short against the Bruins’ consistent offense.
First-Half Lead Sets the Stage for Close Finish
Belmont established a slight advantage in the first half, leading 41-39 at halftime, largely thanks to 11 points from Jenkins. The second half saw a team effort from the Bruins, with Brigham Rogers contributing a team-high six points. The game remained tightly contested throughout, culminating in Scharnowski’s decisive layup to seal the victory.
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
