Box Score JACKSONVILLE, Ala. -- The Belmont women's basketball team (10-15, 7-5 OVC) rallied to pull out an overtime victory on Wednesday night to wrap a three-game road stretch. The Bruins defeated Jacksonville State (16-8, 7-5 OVC), 55-52. The win improves to BU to 7-5 in OVC play and is the team's sixth win in seven outings.
Both teams struggled to find an offensive rhythm in the first eight minutes of the opening stanza. They combined for 0-19 for a four and a half minute stretch. Finally, freshman Sierra Jones (Huntsville, Ala.) broke the ice off the Bruin rim with a jumper in the lane around the 10:45 mark. Thirty seconds later, it turned into the Jordyn Luffman-Hartsfield (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) show. The senior put together her own 7-0 run to put Belmont on top, 11-8.
The Bruins took advantage of a four-minute Gamecock drought to go on an 8-0 run with points coming from freshman Sally McCabe (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) and senior Katie Carroll (Lilburn, Ga.). Belmont kept piling on the points to the tune of a 15-2 run by the final minute of the half. JSU, who had managed to only shoot 18.9 percent from the floor for the whole first stanza, was fouled to add two more points and halt another scoring drought that threatened to tick into its third minute.
Jacksonville State opened the second half aggressively, looking to make up a lot of ground with rapid fire shots behind the arc. Taking advantage of a BU icy spell, the Gamecocks closed the gap to 31-27 by the 15:21 mark. Ninety seconds later, JSU had regained the lead and would go up by as many as three. A layup by Adrienne Tarrence (Bowling Green, Ky.) loosened up the rim and Luffman-Hartsfield drilled her third triple of the contest to knot the game at 36 with 12:20 remaining on the clock. Belmont leaned on a stringent defensive effort to keep the game tight down the stretch.
The Gamecocks used a three-point play to regain a narrow lead, 43-42, with just over four minutes left in regulation but it was short lived as McCabe worked hard in the paint to put Belmont back on top two minutes later. JSU made its final push to take the game and drew a foul but the player only hit the second of a pair at the line with 1:50 left to knot the game at 44. One last change saw Jacksonville State force a crucial turnover at midcourt. Jacksonville State used the opportunity to go for the win with a three and missed but added two on the put back to go up 46-44 with 57 seconds left in regulation. Luffman-Hartsfield hustled for a layup to tie the game at 46 and went for the game winner but it rimmed out, forcing the extra period.
The overtime period opened as part two of the Katie Carroll show as she scored the first five points to give Belmont the 51-46 lead. Her quick flurry forced the Gamecocks to burn a timeout to try to regroup but the Bruins turned on the defensive pressure after the brief break and used the clock to their advantage.
Jacksonville State moved as close as two, 52-50, with just 23 ticks remaining but Sierra knocked down two at the free-throw line to put the game out of reach. Luffman-Hartsfield was fouled and hit one at the line nine seconds later to add cushion to the BU lead, 55-50. JSU attempted to make a way out of no way in the final seven seconds but could only come away with two points as Belmont held on for the 55-52 victory.
JSU shot 23.2 percent from the floor, 16.7 percent from three-point range and 84.6 percent from the free-throw line. The Gamecocks held the advantage in steals, 9-2.
Jacksonville State was led in scoring by Tyler Phelion, who recorded a double-double with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Candace Morton added 11 points.
Belmont shot 45.1 percent from the hardwood, 26.3 percent from behind the three-point arc, and 80 percent from the charity stripe. The Bruins held the advantage in rebounds, 52-43, assists, 13-7, and blocks, 7-0.
A trio of Bruins reached double figures in the win. Senior Jordyn Luffman-Hartsfield (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) collected a double-double with a game-high 18 points and 15 rebounds. Freshman Sally McCabe (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) notched her second double-double of the season with 12 points and a career and game-high 19 rebounds. Senior Katie Carroll (Lilburn, Ga.) rounded out the double digit scorers with 12 points.
Belmont returns to action on Saturday, February 14 at the Curb Event Center when it partners with Greater Nashville Susan G. Komen for its annual Think Pink game, raising breast cancer awareness. The Bruins will dress in pink uniforms and ask all fans in attendance to wear pink in support of those fighting, those who have lost the battle with and to raise awareness about breast cancer.
Discounted tickets are available for friends of Komen and families and friends of survivors via the following link with the code "TEAMPINK." All survivors will receive complimentary tickets via the same link. Tipoff on Saturday is slated for 4 p.m.
