Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn.- Belmont University women's basketball advanced to 6-0 at home and tallied their first conference win this season with an 89-61 victory over Eastern Illinois.
"Felt great to be at home again with great fans!" said McCabe.
With six players tallying at least one three the team tied a season-high 13 threes in the game. Smith led the team with four, followed by Maggard with three, Roy and Harmeyer with two and McCabe and Jones each with one.
Redshirt sophomore Kylee Smith (Alpharetta, Ga.) blazed the trail for the Bruins with 20 points and eight rebounds. Five other Bruins finished the evening with double-digit points. Sophomore Sally McCabe (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) recorded 14, freshman Darby Maggard (Larwill, Ind.) with 11, finally junior Lauren Thompson (Franklin, Tenn.), freshman Jenny Roy (Brentwood, Tenn.) and junior Frankie Joubran (Detroit, Mich.) rounded out the offense with 10 points each.
Bruins jumped out to a fast start and took a 12-0 lead holding EIU to a four minute drought to start the game. McCabe came out firing with seven along with a three from Smith and a jumper from Thompson.
Eastern Illinois retaliated with four points but a jumper and one put the Bruins up 15-3.
The Bruins remained on fire in the first quarter and recorded three more threes from Smith, Roy and freshman Ellie Harmeyer (Kenosha, Wisc.) along with back to back baskets from Thompson.
Belmont scored 30 points in the first quarter, which is the most they have scored in any first quarter on the season and tied for the most scored in any quarter on the season.
"The first quarter we really set the pace of the game and how we wanted to go out and play tonight." said McCabe.
Bruins held the Panthers to only 10 second quarter points.
An 11 point run with five players contributing; McCabe (2), Maggard (3), Smith (3), Roy (3), Joubran (2); put the Bruins up by 30 with less than three minutes left in the half.
A lay-up from Roy would end the half with the Bruins leading 54-23, the most points the Bruins have scored in the first half this season.
Smith hit her fourth three midway through the third quarter, keeping the Bruins on top 62-31. Smith went 4-for-4 from three in the first three quarters.
Both teams traded off baskets to start the third quarter but the Bruins went on a 11-2 run to close out the quarter.
Sophomore Sierra Jones (Huntsville, Ala.) tallied up five points and Smith four in the final minutes of the third quarter.
Jones knocked down a free throw to open up the fourth quarter scoring for the Bruins.
EIU scored six straight but a layup from McCabe and the 13th three of the game from Maggard erased the Panther run.
Three straight layups from Joubran closed out the game with a Bruins victory.
The Bruins finished the evening with 27 assists, the most since defeating Lipscomb on Dec. 2.
"One of the best qualities we have as a team is sharing the ball and that is when we play best and everyone is involved," said Roy. "It made it a lot of fun because we all know each others strengths and talents and we can play well together because of that."
Bruins face off with Murray State in the Curb Event Center on Thursday, Jan. 14 at 5:00 p.m. CT. The women will be the first half of the double-header with Murray State.
