Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. – If today's contest is any indication, Belmont women's basketball fans can expect plenty of exciting action when the team begins play in the Ohio Valley Conference next season. The Belmont women's basketball team (2-10) battled down to the wire of an overtime period against in-state rival Austin Peay (3-8) on Sunday afternoon. The Bruins were unable to hold onto an early second half lead and fell at the buzzer, 58-56, in their first overtime matchup of the season.
The contest opened fast and furious on both ends of the court with the teams trading baskets on their first possessions right before Austin Peay put together a 6-0 run to take a 6-2 lead barely two minutes in. The Bruin bench called timeout and immediately came out firing. A skyhook by senior Haley Nelson (Scottsboro, Ala.) followed by a steal and fast break lay-up by freshman Katie Carroll (Lilburn, Ga.) knotted the score at six with 15:39 left on the clock.
The Lady Govs netted a pair of baskets before redshirt junior Katie Brooks (Maryville, Tenn.) dropped in consecutive jumpers to tie the game at 10 three minutes later. The Bruins stepped up their defensive efforts, keeping APSU from finding the bottom of the net as Carroll added two more points to her tally to give Belmont its first lead of the afternoon, 12-10, with 11:59 remaining.
It took more than four minutes for the Lady Govs to emerge from their scoring drought before Whitney Hanley knocked down a three pointer at the 10 minute mark but it would not be enough to stop the Bruins from exploding offensively barely one minute later. A free-throw netted by junior Alyssa Visbeen (Franklin, Tenn.) ignited a flurry of baskets by senior Cacy Burtnett (Cleveland, Tenn.), Brooks, Nelson, freshman Amara Mayers (Harvest, Ala.) that helped the team surge ahead by nine, 22-13, with just over three minutes remaining in the half. APSU halted its second icy spell, this one lasting almost seven minutes, with makes at the free-throw line however, the Bruins were able to hold on as time expired, taking a 24-19 lead into the locker room.
After the break, the Bruins worked immediately to build a double digit lead behind an 8-0 run with baskets coming from Nelson, Burtnett, and capped with a triple Visbeen. Belmont went on to expand its run to 12-0 with back-to-back steals and tip-ins by Visbeen so that by the 17:44 mark, the Bruins had inflated their lead to 36-19. A stunned APSU bench called timeout to regroup and on its first possession snapped an icy spell that had ticked into nearly its fifth minute with a jumper by Shia Buley.
The basket was just spark the Lady Govs as they chipped BU's massive 17-point lead down to one point by the 8:11 mark, 43-42, behind a 15-2 run. The teams began trading baskets again and Austin Peay briefly regained the lead before Burtnett netted a jumper from the left elbow and Carroll drained a trey from the left side to give Belmont a four-point advantage, 50-46, with just over four minutes remaining in regulation.
Austin Peay stayed within threatening distance and eventually forced the fourth tie of the afternoon, this time at 52 with 1:23 left on the clock. Both benches burned timeouts to strategize for the waning seconds and BU held for the final shot of regulation but was unable to find the bottom of the net for the game winner, sending the game into overtime.
The Bruins won the tip and Visbeen battled for a jumper in the lane but the Lady Govs answered back and knotted the game at 54 with just under three minutes remaining in the overtime period. Less than 30 seconds later, Carroll nailed a crucial pair at the line to push the game into its sixth stalemate, this time at 56.
The teams battled ferociously in the final 60 seconds. Austin Peay looked to have the game winner in the hands of Meghan Bussabarger but Visbeen blocked the attempt and the Bruins came up with the rebound. Time continued to tick down but neither team could get past the others' intensified defensive effort. Finally with three ticks remaining, Whitney Hanley pulled up for a jumper just inside the arc to put the Lady Govs ahead by two, 58-56. The Bruins attempted a cross-court heave in the final seconds but APSU was able to intercept the pass, allowing it to hold on for the narrow victory.
Austin Peay shot 38.3 percent from the floor, 83.3 percent from the free-throw line and 16.7 percent from three-point range. The Lady Govs held the narrow advantage in steals, 14-13.
Three APSU players reached double figures. Nicole Oleszewski, Whitney Hanley and Leslie Martinez netted 16, 15 and 11 points, respectively.
Belmont shot 41.5 percent from the hardwood, 69.2 percent from the charity stripe and 17.6 percent from behind the three-point arc. The Bruins held the advantage in rebounds, 37-34, assists, 13-9, and blocks, 4-1. BU also forced 20 APSU turnovers.
Visbeen led the Bruins with 14 points. Nelson notched her fourth double-double of the season with 11 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. She also had a game-high three blocks and a team-high four steals. Carroll recorded a career-high nine points in the effort. Freshmen Adrienne Tarrence (Bowling Green, Ky.), Mayers and Carroll were all perfect at the charity stripe, hitting 2-for-2.
Belmont returns to action on Wednesday at the Curb Event Center. The Bruins host first-time opponent Texas State beginning at 1 p.m. in their non-conference finale. The contest can be heard live via the internet on the Bruins Sports Network and seen on ASun.TV. Live stats and a Twitter feed (@BelmontWBB) will also be available.
