Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Belmont University women's basketball outshot and outrebounded their way to a 92-68 semifinal victory over SIUE. The Bruins recorded 44 rebounds, to the Cougars 23 and shot 52.5 percent from the field and 57.9 percent from three. Belmont also went 19-for-21 from the free throw line.
"We shot the heck out of the ball, I am so excited and proud of our kids," said head coach Cameron Newbauer. "You look defensively at what we did and it is crazy based on our stats. It is a testament to our kids and what they have become since the last time we played this team."
Freshman Darby Maggard (Larwill, Ind.) led the Bruins with a double-double of 18 points and ten assists. Four others Bruins recorded double-digit points, sophomore Sally McCabe (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) finished with 18, redshirt sophomore Kylee Smith (Alpharetta, Ga.) with 14, freshman Ellie Harmeyer (Kenosha, Wisc.) posted 11 and finally junior Lauren Thompson (Franklin, Tenn.) rounded it out with 10.
"Coach always says that if we move and share the ball that we are going get open shots, we ran the floor and we moved and my teammates got me the ball," said Maggard about her three-point shooting. "A lot of people were hitting shots today and it was a team effort today, it was awesome"
Thompson, Smith and junior Frankie Joubran (Detroit, Mich.) each posted seven rebounds.
As anticipated in a semifinal game the Bruins and the Cougars started the game going point for point.
The Bruins posted 20 points in the first quarter in huge part due to fantastic rebounding, Belmont outrebounded SIUE 12-5, eight defensive and four offensive.
McCabe led the charge scoring the first nine points for the Bruins.
The Cougars opened play with a three but the Bruins went on a 7-to-2 run and took a 7-5 lead. The two teams traded baskets and tied the game at 9. Back-to-back baskets from Maggard and Smith put the Bruins up by four. Following a cougar layup Belmont went on a 7-to-2 run, closing out the first quarter up by seven.
Harmeyer came out on fire hitting three straight 3's in the opening two minutes of the second quarter to boost the Bruin lead to 12, 29-17. With this Harmeyer has already set a career-high three-point field goals made.
After trading points sophomore Sierra Jones (Huntsville, Ala.) hit a huge three to put Belmont up by 16.
SIUE took the next five but a three from Smith, Belmont's sixth of the game, ended the Cougars run.
The Cougars fought back and cut the lead to eight, but back-to-back threes from Maggard ended the second quarter with the Bruins up by 14.
At the half the Bruins were 8-for-10 from three firing at 80 percent, and 17-for-30 overall from the field (56.7%). Halfway through the contest Belmont was outrebounding SIUE 21-12.
SIUE took the first two points of the third quarter, but a three from Smith put Belmont back up by 15. Both teams traded baskets but a six-point run; with points from McCabe, Thompson and Smith, boosted the Bruin lead to 19. SIUE roped together five straight to cut the lead to 14, Joubran added a layup in the quarter and Maggard her third three.
Cougars ended the quarter with one final three and cut the lead to 13 as the two teams went into the final quarter.
Maggard opened the fourth quarter with another three. SIUE went on a 6-to-2 run, but Thompson and McCabe responded with back-to-back jumpers. The rest of the game was packed full of free throws from the Bruins; 14 to be exact, five players contributed freshman Jenny Roy (Brentwood, Tenn.) (4), McCabe (4), Maggard, (2), Joubran (2), and Jones (2).
"It is incredible to see our team sharing the ball, that is when we have the most fun," commented McCabe about the team. "We are right where we want to be and we did that by playing team basketball. We really came together in this game, it is never just one person on this team, and we have so many cylinders we can fire off of on this team."
Belmont returns to the championship game for the second time in Newbauer's three years as the helm of the Bruins. Belmont will face No. 4 seeded Eastern Kentucky for the third time this season at noon on Saturday, March 5.
