NASHVILLE, Tenn.– Kevin McClain scored a career-high 31 points to lead Belmont (16-5, 7-2) to a 97-71 win over Southeast Missouri (7-15, 2-7) Thursday night in Ohio Valley Conference action.
 
McClain was one of three starters with over 20 points for the Bruins. Nick Muszynski followed with 27 points and Dylan Windler contributed a double-double 23 points and 16 rebounds.
 
Belmont, which never trailed in the game, picked up its fourth-straight win and sixth in seven contests. The Bruins also moved to 7-0 all-time against the Redhawks. 
 
SEMO missed its first five field goals and seven of eight shots as Belmont raced out to an early 12-2 lead. 
 
McClain buried a 3-pointer on back-to-back possessions to increase the Bruins lead to 24-9 with 11:43 remaining in the first half.
 
After Isaiah Gable drained a 3-pointer to narrow Belmont's lead to 36-26 with 4:39 left, the Bruins responded with an 11-3 run to take a 47-29 advantage at the intermission. 
 
SEMO was called for 10 fouls to Belmont's two in the first half. As a result, the Bruins made a perfect 13-of-13 free throws and held a +12 (13-1) margin at the charity stripe. 
 
Belmont led by as many as 34 points before closing out its eighth conference victory.
 
McClain shot 7-of-9 from the field, knocked down three 3-pointers and made 14-of-16 free throws. Windler went a perfect 7-of-7 at the free throw line and shot 50 percent (7-of-14) from the floor. Muszynski pitched in a flawless 9-of-9 free throws to go along with 9-of-12 field goals.
 
Belmont outscored SEMO, 32-4, at the free throw line and committed nine fouls to the Redhawks 23. The Bruins shot 52.7 (29-of-55) from the field for the night.
 
Ledarrius Brewer led SEMO with 22 points and five rebounds, and Alex Caldwell followed with 16 points off the bench. 
 
Brewer knocked down a season-high six 3-pointers in eight attempts en route to his third-straight game with over 20 points. He finished at 8-of-11 from the field overall.
 
SEMO shot 51.5 percent (17-of-33) from the floor in the second half and wound up with a 44.4 percent (28-of-63) mark in the game.
 
Belmont improved to 52-3 in OVC games at the Curb Event Center.
 
The Redhawks remain in Nashville to square off against Tennessee State Saturday.