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The Belmont Bruins are the intercollegiate athletic teams of Belmont University, located in Nashville, Tennessee. The Bruins basketball team competes at the NCAA Division I level and joined the Missouri Valley Conference in July 2022, after a 10-season run in the Ohio Valley Conference. The team's most recent NCAA Division I tournament appearance was in 2019, and they have a long-standing rivalry with Lipscomb University, known as the Battle of the Boulevard.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Team Name | Belmont Bruins |
| University | Belmont University |
| Location | Nashville, Tennessee |
| Division | I |
| Conference | Missouri Valley Conference |
| Nickname | Bruins |
| Colors | Navy, Red and White |
| Mascot | Bruiser the Bruin |
| Rivalries | Lipscomb University, Murray State University |
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What You'll Learn
Belmont Bruins basketball team plays in NCAA Division I
The Belmont Bruins basketball team plays in NCAA Division I. The Bruins are the intercollegiate athletic teams of Belmont University, located in Nashville, Tennessee. The Belmont Bruins men's basketball team has represented the university in the Ohio Valley Conference for 10 seasons, before joining the Missouri Valley Conference in July 2022.
The Bruins have a basketball rivalry with Lipscomb University, with whom they play the "Battle of the Boulevard". This rivalry gets its name from the road connecting the two schools, which are located about three miles apart in Nashville. The two teams have played each other at least twice a year, and these games have been played since 2012, even after Belmont moved out of the same conference as Lipscomb. Belmont has also been building a rivalry with Murray State University since 2012, with both teams combining to win every regular-season championship until their departure from the OVC in 2022.
The Belmont Bruins Men's Basketball program has seen several successes, including winning the 2011 Atlantic Sun Regular Season Championship and the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament with a record-breaking 30–5 season. They also won the 2012 Atlantic Sun Regular Season Championship and the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament, reaching the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in seven years. The Bruins play their home games at the Curb Event Center, with navy blue and red as their school colours and Bruiser the Bruin as their mascot.
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They joined the Missouri Valley Conference in 2022
The Belmont Bruins men's basketball team represents Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. The Bruins athletic programme joined the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) in July 2022. Prior to this, they were members of the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) for 10 seasons.
Belmont University sponsors teams in eight men's and nine women's NCAA Division I sanctioned sports. The Bruins' basketball team has a long-standing rivalry with Lipscomb University, with whom they compete in the "Battle of the Boulevard". This rivalry refers to the road connecting the two schools, which are located about three miles apart in Nashville. The Bruins also compete in the annual "Battle of the Boulevard" against Lipscomb University's Bisons, a rivalry that has existed for many years.
The Bruins have had success in basketball, appearing in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) four times and the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) once. They have also competed in five NAIA Division I Tournaments, including an exciting game against the Duke Blue Devils in 2008, where they lost by just one point. In 2011, the Belmont Bruins Men's Basketball program had a successful season, winning the Atlantic Sun Regular Season Championship and the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament. They also set a new NCAA-era record for the programme with a 30-5 record.
The Belmont Bruins basketball team plays its home games at the Curb Event Center in Nashville, under head coach Casey Alexander. Their most recent NCAA Division I tournament appearance was in 2019.
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The team's previous conference was the Ohio Valley Conference
The Belmont Bruins men's basketball team previously competed in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC). The OVC is an NCAA Division I athletic conference founded in 1948 and headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee. Belmont University joined the OVC as its 12th member institution in 2012, and the team competed in the conference for 10 seasons until 2022.
Belmont University's move to the OVC was seen as a valuable addition to the conference, given the university's commitment to excellence in both academics and athletics. The OVC also offered Belmont increased national exposure, a rich history, and the opportunity to build new rivalries, particularly with Murray State University.
During their time in the OVC, the Belmont Bruins men's basketball team achieved notable success. They rose to national prominence, winning eight conference championships, making six postseason appearances, and earning four NCAA Tournament automatic berths since 2004. The team also benefited from the OVC's relationship with the ESPN family of networks, which provided nationally-televised coverage of men's basketball games.
In July 2022, Belmont University announced its departure from the OVC and joined the Missouri Valley Conference. The move was influenced by the university's focus on non-football athletics, as the OVC had a strong association with football and had produced several notable NFL players. Belmont's men's basketball team continues to build on its legacy and forge new rivalries in its new conference.
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The Bruins play their home games at the Curb Event Center
The Belmont Bruins are the intercollegiate athletic teams of Belmont University, located in Nashville, Tennessee. The Bruins play their home games at the Curb Event Center, an on-campus facility that also hosts the university's volleyball and women's basketball teams. The Curb Event Center has been the home of Belmont University's men's basketball team since they joined the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) in July 2022. Prior to this, the team competed in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) for ten seasons, from 2012 until 2022.
The Bruins have a well-known rivalry with Lipscomb University, a similarly-sized private institution in Nashville. The rivalry is often referred to as the "Battle of the Boulevard," as both schools are located about three miles apart on the same road. The men's basketball teams from Belmont and Lipscomb have a long history of playing each other, often twice a year or more, and their games are known to be intense and highly competitive.
In addition to their rivalry with Lipscomb, the Belmont Bruins men's basketball team has also been building a rivalry with Murray State University since both teams entered the OVC in 2012. The Bruins have enjoyed success in their conference, winning the Atlantic Sun Regular Season Championship and the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament in 2011 and 2012. They have also made appearances in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) and the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT).
The Curb Event Center provides a competitive home court advantage for the Belmont Bruins men's basketball team, and the team's success has contributed to the development of a strong basketball culture at Belmont University. The team's performance has consistently improved, and they have become a force to be reckoned with in their conference. The Curb Event Center's atmosphere, coupled with the team's dedication and talent, has helped establish a strong home court advantage for the Bruins.
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The team has a rivalry with Lipscomb University
The Belmont Bruins men's basketball team has a rivalry with the Lipscomb University Bisons, known as the "Battle of the Boulevard". The rivalry gets its name from the close geographical placement of the two schools in Nashville, Tennessee—they are located about three miles apart on the same road. This is one of the geographically closest rivalries in NCAA Division I.
The first meeting between the Belmont Bruins and Lipscomb University Bisons took place on December 11, 1953, with Belmont winning 72-53. Neither team was in the NCAA at the time. On January 27, 2004, the teams met in NCAA Division I conference play for the first time, with Belmont prevailing 66–64 in overtime. On March 4, 2006, the two teams met in the finals of the Atlantic Sun tournament, with Belmont winning 74–69. This game was particularly memorable as the winner would earn the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, which neither school had ever made before.
One of the more notable games between the two rivals took place on February 17, 1990, in front of an NAIA-record sellout crowd of 15,399 at Memorial Gymnasium at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. Lipscomb won the game, hitting 47 out of 75 of their field goal shots (62.7%), while Belmont made 43 out of 82 (51.8%). Joe Behling, the Belmont All-American and Hall of Famer, had a game-high 45 points, while Lipscomb’s All-American and Hall of Famer, Philip Hutcheson, scored 30 points to lead the Bisons.
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Frequently asked questions
Belmont University's basketball team, the Belmont Bruins, competes in Division I of the NCAA.
The Belmont Bruins are part of the Missouri Valley Conference. They were previously members of the Ohio Valley Conference until 2022.
The Belmont Bruins' team colours are navy blue and red.
