Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn.- Led by Kylee Smith's first career double double, the Belmont University women's basketball team (8-1) cruised to an 86-59 win over visiting Trevecca Nazarene Tuesday evening at the Curb Event Center. The Bruins have now won six-straight games and are off to their best start in 13 years.
"I really loved how we shared the ball as a team tonight, we've been doing that pretty consistently lately. We shot the ball pretty well from three and found the open man at the right time and made the open shots," remarked Head Coach Cameron Newbauer after the win. "Overall great team effort tonight."
Smith (Alpharetta, Ga.) finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Sierra Jones (Huntsville, Ala.) put forth an excellent all-around performance as she stuffed the stat sheet with a 18 point, seven assist and six rebound game. Lauren Thompson (Franklin, Tenn.) scored 14 while Ellie Harmeyer (Kenosha, Wis.) scored 10 to round the Bruins in double figures.
Smith praised her teammates saying, "It definitely helped that our guards moved the ball up the court, but it was all just execution and I was open at the right time and the right place. Credit to my teammates that were able to get me open, credit to them on a great team win tonight."
Smith has now scored in double digits in her last four games.
Belmont led the game wire to wire as it trailed for just 15 seconds in the game.
All nine players that saw action scored, including Sam Ross (Cincinnati, Ohio) who scored her first collegiate basket.
Freshman guard Darby Maggard (Larwill, Ind.) impressed with nine points and nine assists. Maggard help engineer some great ball movement for the Bruins as they assisted on 73% of their field goals. Belmont, as it has all season, excelled rebounding the ball. BU held a 51-35 edge in terms of boards.
Natalie Cohlmeyer (Evansville, Ind.) tied a career-high with six points and collected a career-high six rebounds in her 24 minutes of action of the BU bench.
"It was a lot of fun and a great team win. I feel like we played really hard and hustled out there. It was fun to be out there playing the game we love," added Cohlmeyer.
After facing an early 7-6 deficit, the Bruins got things going and closed the frame with a 19-4 run to grab a 25-11 lead after the first 10 minutes. The Bruins connected of 4-of-5 three pointers to open the game, and their effective long range shooting helped them gain an early lead. Smith accounted for two of the long distance makes, and finished the period in double digits with 10.
BU carried a 44-27 advantage into the half. The Bruins took control a few minutes into the first quarter and never looked back. In the first half, Belmont connected on seven shots from beyond the arc and Jones paced BU with 13 points while Smith added 10 heading into the intermission.
Belmont flexed its muscles with a 19-0 during the late first quarter and the second quarter.
BU has scored at least 75 points in every game during this current six-game winning stretch.
Belmont (8-1) is off to its best start since 2002-03 season.
BU is now 1-0 against Trevecca.
The Bruins' six-game winning streak is their longest since a stretch of 10-straight victories in 2006-07.
Coach Newbauer and the Bruins will now wait eight days until their next matchup, as Belmont student athletes grind out their semester finals.
"We will take a couple days off and try to sharpen up a few things we do offensively," added Newbauer. "We really just want to help our girls get focused on their exams. It's more about them tackling these exams the best they can. Also, it's about resting our bodies and preparing for this long road trip we have coming up."
BU returns to action next Wednesday, Dec. 16 when it travels to Chattanooga.
