Box Score MURRAY, Ky. – A combined 46 points from senior Ellie Harmeyer and sophomore Conley Chinn propelled the Belmont Bruins to a dominant 86-56 victory over the Murray State Racers at the CFSB Center Thursday afternoon.
Harmeyer posted her 12th double-double of the season with 26 points and 18 rebounds, while Chinn racked up a career-high 20 points with four 3-pointers. Overall, 10 Bruins scored on the afternoon.
Belmont (11-7, 6-1 OVC) scored a season-high 86 points and dished out its second-highest assist total of the year (18). The Bruins also registered 50-plus rebounds for the third time this season and the second time in conference play.
The Racers (8-10, 1-6 OVC) were led in scoring by sophomore Macey Turley (11 points), as junior Ashley Hunter was the only other Murray State player in double-figure points.
The Bruins jumped out to a 14-4 run early on, as senior Maddie Wright and Chinn nailed a pair of 3-pointers in the first five minutes of the game. The Racers cut their deficit in half, but Belmont still held a 22-12 lead after a 3-pointer from senior Maura Muensterman at the 1:27 mark. Wright rolled in a layup as time expired and the Bruins took a 24-17 after the first quarter.
Murray State scored a quick five points to start the second quarter, as Belmont led by just two points through two minutes. Harmeyer responded by scoring 11-straight points to give the Bruins another double-digit advantage. Muensterman nailed a deep 3-pointer at the 1:26 mark, as Belmont finished the first half with a 43-31 lead.
Harmeyer, who tallied a double-double just 15 minutes into the game, recorded a team-best 17 points and 14 rebounds in the first half. Chinn scored 10 points through the first 20 minutes, as the Bruins hit six first-half 3-pointers.
Three 3-pointers in the first two minutes of the second half gifted Belmont an 18-point lead. A bucket from Harmeyer in the paint with 2:19 left in the third quarter put the Bruins up 63-39. Sophomore Maddie Cook hit a pull-up jumper with 30 seconds left, as Belmont held a 67-45 advantage through three quarters of play. The Bruins shot nearly 60 percent from the floor in the third period.
Following over two minutes of scoreless action to start the fourth quarter, freshman Kiki Britzmann nailed a pair of treys in consecutive possessions. A paint layup from sophomore Allison Luly gave Belmont a 76-52 advantage with five minutes left to play. Freshman Cam Browning rounded out the day with a pair of free throws with 48 seconds remaining to solidify the Bruins' 30-point road victory.
Overall, five Belmont players logged three or more assists, as it tallied season-highs in both 3-pointers made (12) and 3-point field goal percentage (44.4 percent). Muensterman finished with eight points, while Wright and Britzmann each logged seven points, six rebounds and three assists. Sophomore Jamilyn Kinney dished out a team-high six assists.
The freshman duo of Britzmann and Browning combined for 13 points and 12 rebounds, as the Bruins received a season-high 21 points from the bench.
CHINN MUSIC: Conley Chinn has knocked down four 3-pointers and finished in double-figure points in each of her last three contests. Both are career high streaks for Chinn, as she has recorded a career-best point total in consecutive games.
SPECIAL DAY: Belmont had two players score 20-plus points for the first time this season. The Bruins last accomplished the feat on March 6, 2019 against Southeast Missouri in the first round of the OVC Tournament (Harmeyer 24 points, Darby Maggard 21 points).
MORE MILESTONES FOR HARMEYER: With 26 points against the Racers, Harmeyer jumped to fifth all-time in program history for career points in the NCAA era (1,332).
LARGE MARGINS: Belmont has logged five victories of 20 or more points in its first seven conference games this season.
UP NEXT: The Bruins return to the hardwood Saturday for an in-state matchup with Austin Peay. Tip-off is set for 1:30 p.m. at the Winfield Dunn Center.
QUOTES:
Bart Brooks, Head Coach
"It really did feel like our team was flowing and playing like we do in practice. We have not connected it as much in games as we would have like to though. It was nice to see the ball go through the hoop and have a lot of different people contributing. We got a lot of quality minutes from our bench as well. Ellie (Harmeyer) is great and you always know what you are going to get from her, and I thought Jamilyn Kinney had a nice day too."
