Box Score BIRMINGHAM, Ala.- Fueled by a high-scoring first half, the Belmont University women's basketball team (2-2) picked up a 72-58 over UAB (1-2) Saturday afternoon at Bartow Arena.
Four Bruins scored in double figures while all nine Belmont players to see the floor scored. Leading the Bruins in scoring for the third time in four games was Kylee Smith (Alpharetta, Ga.) who registered 14 points. Joining Smith in double figures were Lauren Thompson (Franklin, Tenn.) and Sally McCabe (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) who each scored 12 points while Darby Maggard (Larwill, Ind.) chipped in with 11. Thompson and McCabe, Belmont's starting front court, each finished with nine rebounds falling just shy of a double double, respectively.
Maggard dished out five assists, corralled seven rebounds and netted three three-pointers. McCabe, the reigning OVC Defensive Player of the Year, finished with seven blocked shots, a career high.
Belmont snapped a two-game losing skid and closed out its opening four-game road swing with a record of 2-2.
BU got off to a scorching start early and carried a 49-25 lead into the half. The visiting Bruins shot 53% (10-of-19) from the field in first 20 minutes as the offensive attack was clicking on all cylinders. Thompson and McCabe paced the Bruins offensively heading into the intermission, scoring 10 apiece. After some offensive struggles last time out against Troy, Belmont found its rhythm in Birmingham and carried a hefty lead into the half.
The Bruins 49 first half points were their most since scoring 50 against Morehead State in February of last season.
Trailing by as many as 24 points UAB would make things interesting, cutting the Belmont lead to just nine points with just over two minutes to play, but the Bruins would make the key plays down the stretch to preserve the victory.
Belmont led 26-10 after the first quarter thanks in large part to a 15-0 run midway through the opening act. After a UAB lay in tied the game at 2-2, the Bruins would rattle off 15-straight points to jump out to a commanding 15-2 lead. Eight different Bruins scored in the first 10 minutes including Thompson who had the hot hand early on, scoring seven points in the first five minutes of action.
BU picked off right where it left off in the first, outscoring the Blazers 23-15 in the second period. McCabe took control in the second, tallying eight points on 3-of-5 shooting from the field.
The Bruins came out sluggish in the third quarter as UAB clawed its way back into things by outscoring the Bruins 15-7 in the frame.
UAB continued to threaten in the fourth quarter, but the Bruins managed to hold off the late charge by the Blazers despite being outscored 18-16.
Holding the rebounding edge for the third time in four games, the Bruins brought in 52 boards compared to the Blazer's 37. Miyah Barnes poured in 20 points to pace UAB.
After struggling to convert from the free throw line early on in the season, the Bruins finished 18-of-23 at the charity stripe Saturday.
Belmont resumes action Tuesday, Nov. 22 when it welcomes Green Bay to the Curb Event Center for its 2016-17 home opener.
