How are the Belmont Bruins not among the nation’s Top 25?

Because they are from the Ohio Valley Conference, that’s why.

Belmont’s 19-4 record has gotten it a measly seven votes in the USA Today Coaches Poll and just one vote in the Associated Press Top 25 for this week’s rankings.

Yet, the Bruins yield one of the most prolific offenses in the NCAA, ranking with the top 10 in the nation in shooting percentages.

They are eighth in field goal percentage with 49.3 percent and seventh in 3-point field goal percentage with 40.6 percent.

That leads to the nation’s 18th ranked scoring offense averaging 77.6 points per game.

But, those stats become more jarring since Belmont has entered OVC play.

Aside from rebounding and free throw percentage, Belmont leads the OVC in every offensive category.

The Bruins are averaging 83 points per game against conference opponents – third best in the nation.

Meanwhile, they out-score those teams by an average of 18.6 points per game – also third best in the nation, and 12 points more than the next OVC team.

Their field goal percentage and 3-point field goal percentage jumps to 53.5 percent and 45.8 percent, respectively, against OVC teams.

Since conference play began, Belmont standout guard Ian Clark is averaging 20.9 points per game – tied for ninth in the nation.

He is shooting a staggering 62.7 percent from the field and 59.3 percent from 3-point range.

Clark is just one of the several Bruins among the OVC’s top offensive players. Including Clark, four Belmont players rank inside the top 30 in the OVC – more than any other team in the conference.

Three Bruins also rank in the top nine in the conference in field goal percentage, and four Bruins rank inside the top seven of the OVC.

Just in case anyone is skeptical that Belmont is purely an offensive-based team, its defense is ranked second in the OVC surrendering 64.3 points per game this season.

Belmont’s opponents are shooting just 40 percent from the field, first in the OVC this season.

Clearly, Belmont is quite a force to be reckoned with.

According to ESPN.com, Belmont has a Rating Percentage Index (RPI), used by the NCAA to help pick at-large teams and determine seeds for the NCAA Tournament, of .6232, ranking the Bruins No. 21 in the nation – but still no love from either USA Today Coaches Poll or the Associated Press Top 25.

It is obvious that their OVC schedule is what is holding the Bruins back, as their conference strength of schedule is the worst among the nation’s top 34 RPI teams, but their non-conference schedule I ranked fourth in the entire nation.

Meanwhile, they are one of five teams inside the top 30 RPI teams to have won 11 of their last 12.

So, Eastern and all remaining 10 teams in the OVC are already aware of the stranglehold that Belmont has had on the conference with its 10-0 record.

But, the rest of the nation, I guess, will just have to wait and see for itself.

Anthony Catezone can be reached at 581-2812 or ajcatezone@eiu.edu.