GAME NOTES: The Belmont Bruins will try to extend their winning streak to eight games on Tuesday night when they play host to the Evansville Purple Aces in a non-conference clash at the Curb Event Center.

Evansville has gotten the season off to a flying start at 6-1, nearly halfway to its win total from 2013-14 (14-19). Since their only loss of the season to Green Bay in the Gulf Coast Showcase (64-62), the Purple Aces have ran off three straight wins, most recently making easy work of IUPUI on Saturday, 89-62.

Belmont suffered a loss on the road in the season opener to Wright State (73-70), but it hasn't slipped up in any of its seven games since. The Bruins tipped off a three-game homestand on Dec. 2 with a 63-59 triumph over Middle Tennessee, giving them 59 wins in their last 61 home games.

The teams met just once before, with Belmont winning in the 2009 College Basketball Invitational, 92-76.

The Purple Aces had one of their most well-rounded performances of the season in their 27-point victory against IUPUI over the weekend. They not only shot a lights-out 56.6 percent from the field and made 25-of-31 at the foul line, but they held IUPUI to less than 41 percent showing and won the turnover battle, 19-12. D.J. Balentine was his usual high-scoring self with 22 points on 8- of-16 from the field. David Howard (16 points) and Mislav Brzoja (10) were both solid off the bench, while Egidiju Mockevicius tallied nine points, 10 rebounds and four blocks.

Evansville's high level of play on both ends of the floor has been prevalent all season long, as it shoots a lofty 54.4 percent from the field for 79.9 ppg while allowing just 60.4 ppg on 41.5 percent shooting. Balentine ranks in the top 30 nationally in scoring with 19.9 ppg and is shooting a respectable 45 percent from the field even with more than double the attempts as any of his teammates. Mockevicius is a nightly double-double threat with 13.1 ppg and 9.7 rpg, while Brzoja (10.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg) has also impressed.

The Bruins built a lead as large as 14 in midway through the second half of their latest game, but while Middle Tennessee came storming back to make their deficit just one on several occasions, the Bruins never gave up the advantage and held on for the four-point win. Although they shot just 38 percent from the field and were outrebounded, 43-30, they forced Middle Tennessee to shoot only 37 percent and commit 17 turnovers. Nick Smith and Evan Bradds both scored 15 points to lead the way, with Smith making all three of his 3-point attempts. Craig Bradshaw scored 14 points and Taylor Barnette contributed eight points and six assists.

On the season, Belmont enjoys plenty of success from the field, as it shoots 47.7 percent (including 41 percent from beyond the arc) on its way to 77.9 ppg, which is more than enough to support a modest scoring defense (68.5 ppg). The team is reliant on the 3-pointer with nearly 11 long-range buckets per game, with Bradshaw (21.3 ppg) and Barnette (13.1 ppg) the top producers from the perimeter with 26 3-pointers apiece. Bradds brings 13.3 ppg and 6.6 rpg to the mix, and Reece Chamberlain stuffs the stat sheet with 8.6 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 5.8 apg and 2.5 steals per contest.

Expect a high-scoring affair between these two prolific shooting squads, but with the Bruins' success on their home floor in recent years, figure for them to find a way to pull this one out down the stretch.