Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Belmont women's basketball used a complete team effort from all over the hardwood to pick up a dominating win over visiting Kent State (1-4) on Sunday afternoon at the Curb Event Center. The Bruins (3-4) breezed by the Golden Flashes, 84-60, to snap a three-game skid and improve to 3-4 on the season.
Kent State opened the first half with a quick 6-0 run before sophomore Blair Bryce (Red Oak, Texas) found the bottom of the net with a spin move in the paint to finally get Belmont on the scoreboard. The Golden Flashes would take a seven-point lead, 13-6, four minutes in but it would be the last time they would hold the lead for the remainder of the contest.
The Bruins began to make up ground, thanks to a 6-2 spurt with baskets coming from junior Torie Vaught (Maryville, Tenn.) and freshmen Meredith Roman (Nashville, Tenn.) and Lauren Thompson (Franklin, Tenn.). The Bruins went on to knot the score at 16 with just over 12 and a half minutes left after a pair at the charity stripe by redshirt freshman Frankie Joubran (Detroit, Mich.).
Strong defense by Belmont kept the Golden Flashes off the scoreboard for upwards of four and half minutes. BU then put a three point shooting clinic through the midpoint of the contest, adding 18 to its tally with treys coming from junior Katie Carroll (Lilburn, Ga.), who hit three, Vaught, and Roman to go up 28-20 with 7:24 remaining on the clock.
KSU was silent from the hardwood for nearly eight minutes during the same stretch as the Bruins continued to pile on the points. By the three minute mark, BU was on top, 36-20. Kent State moved within 15 but a trey from the left corner by Carroll sent Belmont to the locker room with a 20-point, 43-23 lead.
After the break, the Bruins refused to let up, as junior Jordyn Luffman (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) drained back-to-back triples sandwiched by layup and two free throws by freshman Lauren Thompson (Franklin, Tenn.), expanding the BU lead to 30, 53-23. The Golden Flashes remained frigid from the hardwood, not scoring since the 1:48 mark of the first half. Finally, KSU was able to halt the 13-0 run with a pair of free throws by Montia Johnson.
The Golden Flashes added some much needed spark to their game around the 14 minute mark, stringing together a series of trips to the line to add eight points to their anemic score and cut the Belmont lead to 25, 56-31. However, that would be as close as they would come until the end of regulation.
The Bruins went to their bench to add points down the stretch, seeing production from redshirt sophomore Katherine Zander (Orange Park, Fla.), sophomore Natalie Cohlmeyer (Evansville, Ind.) and freshman Madison Blevins (Knoxville, Tenn.).
KSU worked to chip away at the 30-point deficit and closed to gap to 21 twice before the clock entered the final 60 seconds. However, Belmont was able to increase the distance once again behind a conventional three-point play by Bryce and a free-throw by Blevins to snag the 84-60 victory.
Kent State shot 27.5 percent from the floor, 47.4 percent from three-point range and 63.3 percent from the free-throw line. The Golden Flashes held the advantage in steals, 11-6.
KSU had three players reach double figures – Montia Johnson with a game-high 20 points, followed by Larissa Lurken with 17 and CiCi Shannon with 14. Shannon also notched a double-double with a team-high 10 rebounds.
Belmont shot 51 percent from the hardwood, 47.4 percent from behind the three-point arc and 67.6 percent from the charity stripe.
Carroll led the Bruins with career-high 15 points, including four three pointers. Joubran pulled down a career and game-high 12 rebounds and was one point shy of her first double-double with nine points. Bryce grabbed 10 boards in the win. She also knocked down a career and game-high three blocks. Junior Adrienne Tarrence (Bowling Green, Ky.) collected a game-high seven assists.
Belmont returns to action on Wednesday, traveling to Atlanta for an early tilt with former conference rival Georgia State. Tipoff is slated for 11 a.m. CT and the matchup can be seen live online on the Panthers' website. Live stats and a live Twitter feed (@BelmontWBB) will also be available.
