If you’re a college basketball fan who isn’t familiar with the Belmont Bruins, you might not be paying close enough attention. Most fans will have a difficult time finding cheap Belmont basketball tickets nowadays. The program has risen from the NAIA level to become a powerhouse in the Ohio Valley Conference and a dangerous mid-major that no traditional heavyweight wants to see in March. With a rabid fanbase, a small arena, and a winning tradition, there is a massive demand for last-minute Belmont basketball tickets nowadays.

The Byrd is the Word

The Bruins come from humble beginnings, competing at the NAIA level for many years before making the jump to Division I in 1996. Rick Byrd is the head coach who oversaw most of the program’s growth and success. Starting in 1986, Byrd coached the Bruins for 33 seasons, leading Belmont to over 700 wins during that time.

A Place in the Sun

Under Byrd, Belmont averaged 31.5 wins per season of its final four seasons at the NAIA level. Alas, the Bruins struggled soon after they became a Division I program, only to find their way upon joining the Atlantic Sun in 2001. In 2006, their fifth season in the Atlantic Sun, the Bruins won both the regular-season and tournament championship in the Atlantic Sun, reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. That kicked off a run of five regular-season titles and four tournament titles in a seven-year span for Belmont before leaving the Atlantic Sun for the Ohio Valley in 2012.

A Serious Threat

As a member of the Ohio Valley Conference, Belmont has continued to be one of the most dangerous mid-majors in the country. Byrd led the Bruins for seven seasons in the OVC, winning at least 20 games in every season, winning the regular-season crown six times, and playing in the NCAA Tournament on three occasions. When Byrd finally retired after the 2019 season, he left the Bruins in the hands of former player and longtime assistant Casey Alexander, who led the Bruins to another OVC championship in 2020 and is poised to continue the incredible legacy Byrd built at Belmont.