Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Propelled by stunning second half performances by redshirt sophomore Jordyn Luffman (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) and senior Katie Brooks (Maryville, Tenn.), the Belmont women's basketball team (9-8, 4-1 OVC) knocked off visiting UT Martin (7-11, 2-2 OVC) on Saturday afternoon at the Curb Event Center, 58-56. The win moves the Bruins to 4-1 in OVC play and gives them their second consecutive win.
UT Martin opened the contest with a pair of three pointers while the Bruins remained silent from the hardwood for nearly the first four minutes. Senior Alyssa Visbeen (Franklin, Tenn.) netted a pair at the charity stripe to get BU on the board with 16:27 on the clock. Belmont continue to struggle to find an offensive rhythm early as it battled against a tightly lidded rim until the 12:38 mark when Visbeen slipped through a pair of defenders for a lay-in. Senior Katie Brooks (Maryville, Tenn.) followed with a jumper from the left block and Visbeen was fed the ball under the basket by classmate Jordan Coleman (Orlando, Fla.) to knot the game at eight, capping a 6-0 run.
The Skyhawks were able to pull away briefly before redshirt sophomore Jordyn Luffman (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) and sophomore Torie Vaught (Maryville, Tenn.) were fouled on consecutive possessions to put BU on top for the first time in the game, 12-11, with nine and a half minutes remaining on the clock. UTM fired back with a 6-0 run to go up 17-12 two minutes later.
Brooks netted a jumper near the top of the key to snap a more than six minute scoring drought for the Bruins during the same stretch. BU fell silent once again as the Skyhawks got hot from long distance in the final 50 seconds of the stanza, expanding their lead to nine, 27-18. BU held for the last shot but Visbeen was fouled driving to the hoop. She went on to net the second of two at the stripe with 1.5 seconds left, sending the teams to the locker room separated by eight points, 27-19.
After the break, sophomore Katie Carroll (Lilburn, Ga.) opened with a triple from the left corner but UTM pushed to secure its first double digit lead of the day, 41-31, behind a three by Jasmine Newsome. Junior Molly Ernst (Louisville, Ky.) drained back-to-back trifectas to move BU to within six, 43-37, with 13:15 left on the clock. The flurry opened up a stunning 16-2 run for the Bruins that was complimented with a complete defensive lockdown of the Skyhawks, holding them scoreless for more than four minutes. At the end of the run, BU led 47-45 with just under nine minutes left in the contest.
UT Martin surged to force the fifth tie of the afternoon, this time at 47, but another and-one opportunity completed by redshirt sophomore Jordyn Luffman (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) put Belmont on top 50-49 with 6:30 remaining in regulation. The Skyhawks, who were in the double bonus, attempted to make up ground from the free-throw line and worked to keep the game tight down the stretch.
Two minutes later, Ernst nailed a crucial triple from the right side of the arc and Brooks waited until there were just six seconds left on the shot clock to drill her trademark jumper from the elbow on the next possession, putting BU on top by three, 55-52. The Bruins notched their largest lead of the afternoon after Luffman knocked down the front end of a pair at the stripe with 90 seconds left in the game.
UT Martin seemed to catch a break with 1:11 remaining in regulation with a foul but was only able to convert on one of two at the attempts. The clock ticked into the final 30 seconds of regulation and the Skyhawks finally woke up from the floor and Heather Butler nailed a crucial three pointer that knotted the score at 56.
BU held for the final shot and Brooks came through with a huge jumper from the left block to put the Bruins on top, 58-56, with 2.5 seconds left on the clock. The benches call three consecutive timeouts to strategize what would become the final play of the game. After the third one, UT Martin inbounded the ball and cross the midcourt line to call its final timeout with 1.8 ticks left on the clock. The Skyhawks came out of the huddle with a chance to tie the score but jumper by Rickiesha Bryant bounced off the side of the rim. Coleman pulled down the rebound as time expired and the Bruins were greeted with a standing ovation for the spectacular win from its largest home audience of the season, 719.
UT Martin shot 31.5 percent from the floor, 34.6 percent from three-point range, and 81.3 percent from the free-throw line. The Skyhawks held the advantage in steals, 11-6.
UTM was led in scoring by Jasmine Newsome and Heather Butler, who scored 17 points each. Bryant contributed 10 points. Katie Schubert grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds.
Belmont shot 38.5 percent from the hardwood, 27.3 percent from behind the three-point arc and 70.6 percent from the charity stripe. The Bruins held the advantage in rebounds, 38-36, assists, 14-10, and blocks, 3-1.
Luffman led the Bruins with 12 points, including a 6-for-8 performance at the stripe, and Ernst added 11. Brooks rounded out the double digit scorers with 10 points. Coleman pulled down 11 rebounds and had a game-high six assists.
Belmont returns to road for action on Monday night, traveling to Kentucky for a matchup at Murray State. Tip-off is set for 7 p.m. The contest can be heard live via the internet on the Bruin Sports Network and seen on the OVC Digital Network. A live Twitter feed (@BelmontWBB) will also be available.
