Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Belmont women's basketball team (12-14, 9-4 OVC) rocketed into first place in the OVC's East Division with a 57-48 win over crosstown rival Tennessee State (10-15, 7-5 OVC) on Saturday afternoon at the Curb Event Center.
Neither team could find an offensive rhythm for the first five minutes of the contest. Tennessee State went on a slow 8-0 run once it uncapped its rim but it would not be until the 11:28 mark before the Bruins got on the scoreboard for the first time with a triple by junior Taylor Mills (Corryton, Tenn.) from the top of the arc. Mills added two more in the paint and classmate Katie Carroll (Lilburn, Ga.) knocked down a pair at the stripe to put BU ahead, 8-7. TSU fired back, knotting the score at nine before going up, 13-9, by the 8:18 mark, and the teams once again fell into a back-and-forth battle.
A flurry from junior Jordyn Luffman (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) and redshirt freshman Frankie Joubran (Detroit, Mich.) gave Belmont its first lead of the half, 18-17, with five minutes remaining on the clock. The teams began trading baskets and the lead one minute later but neither was able to build any substantial lead. A pair at the free-throw line by junior Torie Vaught (Maryville, Tenn.) put BU on top, 27-26, with just under 60 seconds left but TSU answered back to gain a slim one-point lead. The Lady Tigers called timeout to strategize for the waning seconds but ending up fouling Luffman with 1.2 ticks remaining on the clock. She hit the first of her two attempts, sending the teams to their respective locker rooms, knotted at 28.
BU came out in the second stanza more aggressively, using a 7-0 run to pull away 35-30 by the 16 minute mark, thanks to points from Joubran, Carroll, and one at the stripe by freshman Lauren Thompson (Franklin, Tenn.). The Lady Tigers rebounded from their spotty shooting to trim BU's lead to one point, 37-36, three minutes later using a 6-0 run. In all, TSU went on a 10-0 run to pull ahead, 40-37, by the 10:12 mark.
A triple by Luffman from the top of arc helped Belmont regain the lead, 41-40, with just under nine minutes left in regulation. The Lady Tigers used a three to force the fourth tie of the game, this time at 43, with 5:30 left on the clock. The score would be knotted once more before Carroll drained a crucial three pointer from the left side of the arc. After a quick BU steal, junior Adrienne Tarrence (Bowling Green, Ky.) completed the and-one play to put BU on top, 51-45, with two and a half minutes left in the game.
Belmont used a combination of strong clock management and defense to push toward the final 60 seconds of regulation. Tennessee State began fouling to slow the clock but Mills knocked down both at the stripe to put BU ahead, 53-45. The Lady Tigers were sparked by a three by Chelsea Hudson with 28 seconds remaining which cut the BU lead to five, 53-48, but that would be as close as they would come. The Bruins rebuilt a nine-point advantage at the free-throw line, thanks to Mills and Joubran and held the ball to secure the 57-48 victory.
Tennessee State shot 33.9 percent from the floor, 18.8 percent from three-point range and 70 percent from the free-throw line. The Lady Tigers held the advantage in blocks, 4-0, and steals, 7-6.
TSU was led in scoring in Chelsea Hudson, who dropped in a game-high 15 points. Jayda Johnson also reached double digits, adding 10 points. Hudson pulled down a team-high eight rebounds.
Belmont shot 46.2 percent from the hardwood, 45.5 percent from behind the three-point arc and 84.2 percent from the charity stripe. The Bruins held the advantage in rebounds, 30-29. The teams were even in assists with nine each.
Mills led BU with 13 points. Luffman added 12 points and Joubran picked up a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 10 rebounds.
Belmont returns to action on February 22 at the Curb Event Center, wrapping a three-game homestand. The Bruins host Eastern Illinois for their final home game of the season. BU will honor its senior class prior to the 2 p.m. tipoff.
