Box Score JACKSONVILLE, Ala. – No. 23 Belmont women's basketball silenced Jacksonville State's offense to solidify a 66-35 victory Wednesday night inside Pete Mathew coliseum. The victory pushed the Bruins winning streak to 18-straight games while marking their 42nd consecutive OVC win.
BU moves to 27-3 on the season, winning 27 games in a season for the first time in its Division I era. Senior guard Kylee Smith (Alpharetta, Ga.) charged the Bruins offensive production with 17 points while dishing four assists. She was joined by junior guard Darby Maggard (Larwill, Ind.) and senior center Sally McCabe (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) who also put together double-digit scoring efforts, pouring in 16 and 12, respectively. Collectively, four different players compiled at least eight boards with junior guard Ellie Harmeyer (Kenosha, Wis.) and McCabe leading the way with nine. McCabe also rejected five shots on the night.
The Bruins shutdown Jacksonville State's (17-11, 11-6) offense all night, holding the gamecocks to 19 percent from the field. Tasha Magruder led the way with six points, eight rebounds and five blocks. JSU was only able to convert on 12 field goals, three of which came from behind the arc.
A sluggish start from both squads offensively left the game 9-8, in favor of the Bruins, after the first stanza. While the teams collectively combined for a mere two field goals in the opening seven minutes of the game, they both made crucial defensive stops throughout the period. Belmont forced six turnovers while McCabe rejected a trio of Gamecock shots in the first quarter, JSU collected six blocks of its own. Sophomore guard Maddie Wright (Chattanooga, Tenn.) worked the Jacksonville State defenders as time expired to knock in a layup that put BU ahead by a tally.
The early goings of the second frame took the same course as both squads suffered extended scoring droughts at the start. It wasn't until four minutes in that McCabe sunk back-to-back triples to separate the Bruins from the Gamecocks, 17-10. McCabe accounted for the Bruins first 8 points of the quarter, before Belmont failed to make another field goal until two minutes remained in the half. Jones sparked a 12-2 run after swiping the ball on JSU's end of the court and converting on the three-point play on the other end. From there, Maggard and Smith hit a pair of buckets from beyond the arc to give Belmont its largest lead of the game, 29-14, at intermission.
The pace picked up to start the second half as the Bruins and Gamecocks traded buckets from the beginning. A six-minute scoreless span from JSU allotted BU the opportunity to mount another run, this time pouring in 13 unanswered points to wrap up the third. Smith led the way scoring 10 points in the period, helping BU take a 49-22 lead.
Junior guard Maura Muensterman (Evansville, Ind.) became the fifth Bruin to hit a trey, throwing in two-consecutive to push BU's advantage to 57-27 with 5:24 remaining in the game. Belmont continued to distance themselves throughout the remainder of the game to secure its 27th victory of the season.
GAME NOTES
- Belmont extends its winning streak to 18 games, the fifth longest streak in the nation.
- The Bruins have won their last 42 consecutive OVC games, boasting the second longest streak in the nation behind No. 1 UConn (94).
- This marks the first season that BU as won 27 games in its Division I era, and its first since the 1993-94 campaign. It's 27-3 record is also its best since 1993-94.
- Belmont has won its last eight games against Jacksonville State and improves its all-time series record to 17-3.
- No. 23 Belmont's national ranking in the AP poll is its first-ever appearance in the Top-25 and the first of any BU program.
- 35 points is the fewest the Bruins have given up all season.
UP NEXT
Belmont returns home to conclude its 2017-18 regular season with Tennessee State on Saturday, Feb. 24 inside the Curb Event Center. The senior class will be recognized prior to the 3 p.m. tip-time.
