EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. -- Amanze Egekeze scored 29 points with seven rebounds and Belmont rode a big first half to a 76-61 victory over SIU Edwardsville on Thursday night.

Egekeze scored 15 points in the first half including the final seven in a 12-0 run that put the Bruins up by 18 before the Cougars cut it to 12, 41-29, by the break.

The lead remained in double figures the rest of the way with Dylan Windler scoring eight points in a 10-3 run for a 17-point lead with 13 minutes remaining.

Windler finished with 17 points and eight rebounds and Kevin McClain 10 points, 11 rebounds and six assists for Belmont (12-6, 4-1 Ohio Valley Conference), which made 10 3-pointers.

Daniel Kinchen scored 14 points, Brandon Jackson 12, Jalen Henry 11 and Justin Benton 10 for the Cougars (6-10, 2-3)