Box Score RICHMOND, Ky. -- The Belmont women's basketball team (9-15, 6-5 OVC) used a complete team effort to pick up its sixth OVC win on Saturday. The Bruins knocked off Eastern Kentucky (8-13, 3-8 OVC) on the road, 76-59.
The teams traded baskets to open the opening stanza but it was the Bruins who found their offensive rhythm first, going up by four in the first five minutes. Eastern Kentucky gave chase and made it a one-point game but BU rebounded and grabbed a five-point lead, 18-13, with 11:27 remaining. The Bruins ramped up its tough defense effort and forced the Colonels to make careless mistakes through the midpoint of the half. A trio of forced turnovers and a streaking Bruin lineup that saw points from senior Jordyn Luffman-Hartsfield (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.), freshman Sally McCabe (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) and senior Adrienne Tarrence (Bowling Green, Ky.) put BU on top, 23-16, with 7:51 left on the clock. The flurry forced the Colonels to burn a timeout.
EKU used back-to-back trips to the free-throw line to close the gap to three, 27-24, with just over three minute left on the clock but sophomore Lauren Thompson (Franklin, Tenn.) knocked down a pair of her own at the stripe to keep Belmont ahead. BU began to use the clock to its advantage and with just 60 ticks left in regulation found itself leading, 33-27. The Colonels attempted to hold out for the final shot but the shot bounced off the rim with 3.5 seconds left. Tarrence brought the ball over the midcourt and knocked down what would become just the second three pointer of her career as time expired to send the Bruins to the locker room leading, 36-27.
After grabbing its first double digit lead of the contest, the Bruins again leaned on its tough defense to open the second half, holding Eastern Kentucky to 0-7 in field goals for nearly the first six minutes of the stanza. EKU finally got into the contest and dug in its heels to begin whittling away at the Belmont lead around the nine minute mark and used a six-point flurry to close the gap to eight, 49-41. However, back-to-back triples by seniors Katie Carroll (Lilburn, Ga.) and Luffman-Hartsfield expanded BU's lead to 55-41 one minute later.
The Colonels would not go away down the stretch, despite Belmont pulling away by as many as 18 with 4:41 left in regulation. In the final two minutes, EKU made one final push to make up considerable ground but it was too little too late. BU never relinquished its double digit advantage and with the help of being in the double bonus, went on to hit 6-of-6 at the line in the final 90 seconds. The effort on both sides of the ball assisted the Bruins in securing the 76-59 victory.
Eastern Kentucky shot 34.4 percent from the floor, 26.3 percent from three-point range, and 90.9 percent from the free-throw line. EKU led in blocks, 2-1.
The Colonels had only one player reach double digits – Michaela Hunter with 22 points. She also led the team in rebounds with a total of eight.
BU shot 44.1 percent from the hardwood, 39.1 percent from behind the three-point arc, and 71.4 percent at the charity stripe. The Bruins led in rebounds, 43-34, assists, 20-10, and steals, 4-2.
Belmont saw four players in double figures in the win. Luffman-Hartsfield led with 21 points, followed by McCabe with 16 points. Carroll added 14 and Thompson had 10 points. Carroll led the Bruins with a career-high eight rebounds. Tarrence collected a game and career high 10 assists.
Belmont returns to action on Wednesday, February 11, wrapping its three-game road swing at Jacksonville State. Game time is set for 5:30 p.m. CT. Fans can watch the contest live on the OVC Digital Network and listen Dr. Rich Tiner on the play-by-play on the Bruins Sports Network. Live stats and an in-game Twitter feed (@BelmontWBB) will also be available.
