Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Belmont women's basketball team (18-13) narrowly missed upsetting in-state rival Tennessee Tech (19-11) in the semifinals of the OVC Tournament on Friday afternoon. The No. 3 Bruins were edged in the final 30 seconds of regulation and fell, 61-57, to the second seeded Golden Eagles.
The Bruins came out of the gate with a slow and steady attack pace after winning the tip. Senior Katie Brooks (Maryville, Tenn.) drove for a jumper in the lane and classmate Alyssa Visbeen (Franklin, Tenn.) followed burying a triple from the top of the arc to put BU on top early, 5-2. The teams began trading baskets before Tennessee Tech took the lead on a pair of threes by Kellie Cook. However, BU was awarded a pair of free throws due to an administrative technical and junior Molly Ernst (Louisville, Ky.) hit the front end before drilling a triple from the left side of the arc to knot the score at 11 with 11:50 remaining on the clock.
TTU took advantage of a four and half minute drought by the Bruins and used an 8-0 flurry to briefly pull away, 22-16, with 4:04 left in the first stanza. However, Belmont sprang back to life behind a Visbeen layup and a pair of free throws by sophomore Adrienne Tarrence (Bowling Green, Ky.). The Bruins used a strong defensive effort to keep the Golden Eagles off the board for a span of about two and a half minutes and despite not being able produce points during the same spell, stayed within striking distance. BU clawed back to within three, 25-22, behind a pair of free throws by Tarrence and a jumper by Brooks with just under 60 seconds left on the clock. TTU answered with a jumper but Ernst drained her trademark trifecta from the right side of the arc with nine seconds left to send the teams to the locker rooms separated by only two points, 27-25.
The opening of the second stanza was all the Katie Brooks show for Belmont as she took on Tennessee Tech head-to-head and netted all eight of Belmont's first points to make it a one possession game by the 15:47 mark, 35-33. Suddenly, TTU exploded and built a 42-34 lead on the strength of a 7-1 run three minutes later.
The Bruins used a huge energy and momentum shift, sparked by a steal by Tarrence and a three pointer by redshirt sophomore Jordyn Luffman (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) to power to within four, 45-41, by the 8:51 mark. Increased defensive pressure on the ball saw BU force a series of turnovers but Tennessee Tech was able to re-inflate its lead to seven, 50-43, by the six minute mark.
However, Back-to-back fouls sent Tarrence to the line where she hit all four to inch the Bruins to within three, 50-47, with 5:47 remaining. Thirty second later, Brooks netted a jumper to make it a one-point game to bring the Bruin fans back to their feet. Tennessee Tech worked to rebuild its seven-point advantage by the 2:49 mark but the Bruins kept clawing back.
BU pushed the game down to the wire and kept it a one possession game for the final 90 seconds before TTU made it a three-point differential behind a Jala Harris layup. Tarrence followed with one of her own with 21 ticks remaining to close the gap to 58-57. With time quickly expiring, the Bruins fouled but TTU made both at the line with two seconds left to go up, 61-57. A last second heave by the Bruins was unable to find the bottom of the net and BU fell by the same score.
Tennessee Tech shot 43.4 percent from the floor, 55.6 percent from three-point range and 62.5 percent from the free-throw line. The Golden Eagles held the slim advantage in rebounds, 36-32, assists, 12-10, blocks, 7-5, and steals, 6-5.
TTU had three players in double figures led by Jala Harris with 15. T'Keyah Williams and Diamond Henderson added 13 and 12 points, respectively. Williams finished with a double-double with a game-high 14 rebounds.
Belmont shot 38.9 percent from the hardwood, 43.8 percent from behind the three-point arc and 66.7 percent from the charity stripe.
Brooks led the Bruins with a game-high 16 points. Also reaching double figures were Tarrence with 12 and Ernst 10 points. Senior Jordan Coleman (Orlando, Fla.) pulled down seven rebounds.
"The fight that our kids showed, the resiliency, playingthrough what I would deem some questionable things; I was so proud of their heart and so proud of their effort," sais Head Coach Brittney Ezell. "Eighteen wins was a fantastic year for Belmontwomen's basketball and it was an honor to be this team's coach."
Belmont wraps its inaugural season in the OVC with an 18-13 mark. Eighteen victories marks the most in a single season in the Brittney Ezell era.
