NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Luke Kornet scored 20 points and Matthew Fisher-Davis added 16 and first-year coach Bryce Drew won his home opener as Vanderbilt beat Belmont 80-66 on Tuesday night.
The former Valparaiso coach earned his first win with the Commodores (1-1). Vanderbilt won its 10th consecutive home opener, improving to 58-7 all-time.
Kornet made 12 of 16 shots and the Commodores hit 25 of 31.
Evan Bradds, the Ohio Valley Conference Player of the Year last season, led Belmont (0-1) with 19 points. Bradds led the nation in field goal percentage the past two seasons, but hit only 6 of 15 shots. Amanze Egekeze scored 18 and Taylor Barnette had 11.
Vanderbilt made 9 of 18 shots from 3-point range. Jeff Roberson and Payton Willis each scored 10.
The Bruins missed 17 of their first 18 shots from 3-point range. Belmont has the second-most 3-pointers nationally since 1995 when it moved from the NAIA to the NCAA. Only Duke has more.
BIG PICTURE
Belmont: Coach Rick Byrd was concerned about his defense in the preseason, but his long-range shooters let him down, hitting just 9 of 41 from 3-point range against Vanderbilt.
Vanderbilt: The Commodores proved they could play defense under their new coach after allowing 95 points, the most since a 2003 loss to Kentucky, in Friday’s season-opening loss to Marquette.
UP NEXT
Belmont plays its home opener against Western Kentucky on Saturday before facing another Southeastern Conference team, Florida, on Monday.
Vanderbilt hosts Norfolk State on Friday in the second of a three-game homestand.
