Box Score EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – Belmont Women's basketball (8-7, 0-2 OVC) fell to preseason top-seeded SIU Edwardsville (8-8, 3-0 OVC) 60-73. Sophomore Sally McCabe (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) led the Bruins with 14 points, two blocks and eight rebounds.
"We had opportunities in the third quarter with some defensive rebounds and loose balls but they just beat us to them," said Head Coach Cameron Newbauer. "SIUE out worked, out hustled, and out played us tonight. We will get back in the gym and work on our weaknesses in hopes to improve for Saturday's home game against Eastern Illinois."
Freshman Ellie Harmeyer (Kenosha, Wisc.) followed closely behind McCabe with 13 points and six rebounds, going 6-for-7 from the free throw line. Redshirt Sophomore Kylee Smith (Alpharetta, Ga.) closed out the teams double-digit scorers with 11 points, along with six rebounds. Junior Frankie Joubran (Detroit, Mich.) shot a perfect 2-for-2 from inside.
Belmont out rebounded SIU Edwardsville in the first quarter but the hot hand of Shronda Butts gave SIUE a 21-11 lead at the end of the first.
Back-to-back layups from Thompson and McCabe brought the Bruins within five while holding the Cougars to a two minute scoring drought to start the second quarter.
A five-point run, with a three from Jones and layup from Joubran cut the Cougars lead to six 29-23.
The Cougars responded with four straight to once again take a nine point lead.
Harmeyer from inside draws the foul and one, creating a three point play followed by another layup put the Bruins down 34-28 at halftime.
Smith hit a three to open up the second half which pulled the Bruins within three.
Smith and Jones would each hit a three but an 11 point run from SIUE put the Cougars up by 19.
Jones hit two free throws to cut the lead to 17.
Smith with one final layup in the third quarter left the Cougars up 58-41.
Smith drew an early foul, a missed second shot was rebounded by Harmeyer who then drew a foul and hit both.
The Bruins and the Cougars would trade pairs of points for majority of the fourth quarter with the Bruins struggling to rope together a handful of points, until seven straight from the Bruins cut the lead to 13 with a minute left to play.
The Bruins pushed late but ran out of time as they dropped the game 60-73.
SIUE was led by Shronda Butts who recorded 32 points on the evening.
"Hats off to Shronda Butts and SIUE as they controlled the game from start to finish," said Newbauer. "She proved why she is one of the best, if not the best player in our league."
After six-straight games on the road the Bruins return to the Curb Event Center to face-off with Eastern Illinois. Tip-off is set for 4:00 p.m. CT and will be the second half of a double-header immediately following the men's game.
