Box Score WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- Despite a strong performance in the first half, the Belmont women's basketball team was unable to maintain down the stretch on the road Tuesday night. The Bruins (3-6) were held off at Wake Forest (5-4), 69-49.
Wake Forest jumped out to a quick 5-0 lead before junior Jordyn Luffman (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) pushed for a floater in the paint to get the Bruins on the scoreboard. The Deacons expanded their lead to as many as eight by the 16:37 mark before Belmont clawed its way back into the game behind a triple by junior Torie Vaught (Maryville, Tenn.), a layup by sophomore Blair Bryce (Red Oak, Texas) and a driving layup by freshman Kia Perry (Gallatin, Tenn.) that closed the gap to two points, 12-10, four minutes later. The Bruins kept working on both sides of the ball and quickly made it a one-point game by the 9:36 mark.
Suddenly, the Bruins grabbed their first lead of the contest, 18-17, behind a three pointer from the left side of the arc by Luffman with 7:26 remaining in the game. The teams would trade baskets, knotting the score twice over the next 90 seconds before BU knotted the score at 21 with a trey by junior Katie Carroll (Lilburn, Ga.) and went on to grab the lead, 22-21, with just under six minutes to go in the half after the second of a pair at the stripe by Luffman.
WFU built up a seven-point advantage, 29-22, following a series of shots in the paint and a couple of free throws by the 3:02 mark. However, the Bruins worked to keep the game tight in the waning minutes, thanks to free throws by sophomore Katherine Zander (Orange Park, Fla.), Luffman and a jumper by Vaught. The surge sent the teams to their respective locker rooms, separated only by three points, 31-28.
After the break, the Deacons managed to keep the Bruins silent for the first three minutes, expanding their lead to nine points, 37-28, before Carroll drilled her second three pointer of the game. Belmont used the triple to spur an 8-0 run to narrow the differential to one point, 37-36, by the 14:45 mark. However, Wake Forest reversed fortunes and rallied behind an 8-2 run to go up by double digits for the first time in the contest, 46-36, two minutes later. BU closed the gap to eight behind a pair at the stripe by Luffman but that would be as close as it would come for the remainder of regulation.
WFU used a series of shots behind the arc to keep distance between the teams down the stretch. Belmont moved to within 11, 56-45, after a free-throw by junior Adrienne Tarrence (Bowling Green, Ky.) at the 7:52 mark before the Deacs used a 13-0 run to put the game nearly out of reach. With just over four and a half minutes left, the Demon Deacons had blown their lead up to 20, 65-45.
Perry halted BU's scoring drought that had ticked into nearly four minutes with a jumper from the left elbow. Classmate Lauren Thompson (Franklin, Tenn.) buried a jumper for the final points of the night with 65 seconds remaining on the clock as Wake Forest claimed the 69-49 victory.
"We really worked to come back and had a chance when we got within one in the second half," Luffman said. "We did not give up even when our shots weren't falling so that is something we will take moving forward."
Wake Forest shot 45.5 percent from the floor, 42.1 percent from three-point range, and 64.7 percent from the free-throw line. The Demon Deacons held the advantage in rebounds, 48-33, assists, 14-10, and blocks, 3-0.
Chelsea Douglas led all scorers with 27 points. Dearica Hamby notched a double-double with 16 points and a game-high 13 rebounds.
Belmont shot 29.1 percent from the hardwood, 28.6 percent from behind the three-point arc and 56.5 percent from the charity stripe. The Bruins held the advantage in steals, 7-4.
Luffman reached double digits for the eighth time this season, netting a team-high 15 points. Carroll contributed eight points in the effort. Redshirt freshman Frankie Joubran (Detroit, Mich.) pulled down a team-high five rebounds.
Belmont returns to action on December 12 at the Curb Event Center. The Bruins host No. 18 Georgia beginning at 7 p.m. The game can be seen live on the OVC Digital Network and heard live via the internet on the Bruins Sports Network. Live stats and an in-game Twitter feed will also be available.
