Box Score CHARLESTON, Ill. – Frigid shooting kept the Belmont women's basketball team (15-12, 9-5 OVC) from toppling OVC West leader Eastern Illinois (19-8, 12-2 OVC) on the road Saturday afternoon. The Panthers used a run late in the first half to pull away and never looked back en route to their 60-43 win. With the loss, the Bruins slip to third in the OVC East Division heading into the final week of regular season play.
Neither team could find an offensive rhythm in the opening minutes of the first matchup between the teams since the 1999-00 season. Finally, the Panthers pushed for back-to-back layups to take an early 4-0 lead before sophomore Adrienne Tarrence (Bowling Green, Ky.) and senior Jordan Coleman (Orlando, Fla.) knotted the score 30 seconds later.
Eastern Illinois used a 10-2 run to go up 16-9 by the eight minute mark. All told, the Panthers' run grew to 18-4 to take a 24-11 lead. Despite crucial defensive stops down the stretch, the Bruins continued to struggle to find an offensive rhythm as the team fell completely silent from the hardwood for nearly the final seven minutes of regulation. Senior Alyssa Visbeen (Franklin, Tenn.) broke the scoring drought, converting a three-point play with just 54 seconds remaining on the clock. EIU continued to find the bottom of the net in the waning seconds but it would be senior Katie Brooks to (Maryville, Tenn.) to net the final points of the half. She heaved the ball from behind the mid-court line with two-tenths of a second remaining before the teams headed to the locker rooms to trim the Bruin deficit to 11, 28-17.
After the break, the Bruins continued to struggle offensively. EIU continued to roll, using an 8-2 run in the first eight and a half minutes to take an 18 point, 43-25, lead. The Panthers grabbed their first 20 point lead barely three minutes later on a pair of free throws by Ta'Kenya Nixon. A triple by redshirt sophomore Jordyn Luffman (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) near the top of the arc cut the EIU lead down to 17, 47-30, with just over eight minutes remaining on the clock. A pair of free throws by junior Molly Ernst (Louisville, Ky.) inched the Bruins to within 15, 47-32, but that would be as close as they would come for the remainder of the contest.
The Bruins surged in the final three minutes of regulation, using a combination of steals and fast-break layups to claw away at the EIU lead, knocking it down to 58-41 by the 1:56 mark. However, the Panthers were able to use the clock to their advantage and hold on for the 60-43 victory. The win evens the all-time series between the programs, 2-2.
Eastern Illinois shot 37.7 percent from the floor, 41.7 percent from three-point range and 78.9 percent from the free-throw line. The Panthers held the advantage in rebounds, 46-37, and assists, 11-6.
EIU was led in scoring by Ta'Kenya Nixon, who dropped in a game-high 23 points. Sydney Mitchell also reached double digits, adding 11. Mitchell and Nixon shared the lead in rebounds with nine apiece.
Belmont shot a season-low 24.2 percent from the hardwood, 14.3 percent from behind the three-point arc and 73.3 percent from the charity stripe. The Bruins held the advantage in blocks, 6-5, and steals, 7-6.
Coleman recorded her eighth double-double of the season with 12 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Luffman added 10 points in the effort. Coleman also finished with four blocks, all swatted in the first half. Sophomore Katie Carroll (Lilburn, Ga.) and Tarrence each finished with two steals.
Belmont returns to action on Wednesday, February 27 wrapping its three-game road swing at in-state rival Austin Peay. Tip-off set for 7 p.m. in Clarksville. The game can be seen live on the OVC Digital Network. Live stats and a live Twitter feed (@BelmontWBB) will also be available.
