Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Belmont women's basketball fell to the Marquette Golden Eagles, 64-61, Sunday afternoon at the Curb Event Center.
Freshman guard Whitney Hay's game-tying shot with one second remaining rolled in and out, as the Bruins' run in the final quarter fell short. Hay, as well as fellow freshmen guards Destinee Wells and Tuti Jones, led the way for Belmont (2-2, 1-0 OVC) with 47 combined points.
Wells poured in a season-high 21 points, five rebounds and five steals on the day, as Jones added a season-best 17 points, five rebounds and five steals. Hay narrowly missed double-figures with nine points and a registered a team-best plus-minus (+11).
Overall, Belmont forced a season-high tying 25 turnovers and raked in 13 steals, as it cashed in 19 points off turnovers from Marquette. Sunday's matchup featured eight lead changes and six ties in total.
The Golden Eagles (4-1, 1-0 BIG EAST) were fueled by the senior tandem of forward Lauren Van Kleunen and guard Selena Lott, who meshed for 38 of Marquette's points. Lott also grabbed 14 rebounds for a double-double and led the team in assists.
To start the first quarter, the Golden Eagles jumped out to a 5-0 lead, but five straight points from Wells tied the game up at the 7:34 mark. A 3-pointer from Marquette distanced itself from the Bruins, but a layup from junior forward Allison Luly evened the score at 12-12 with three minutes left. Six late points from Wells and Jones gave Belmont an 18-17 advantage through 10 minutes.
An and-one from Wells to begin the second period put the Bruins up four, but the Golden Eagles took a 24-21 lead with help from the free throw line. A jumper from Hay closed the gap for Belmont, as Marquette held the Bruins at arms-length with an and-one at the 1:25 mark. Belmont answered with a short 5-0 run to end the first half, as it took a 30-29 advantage through two periods.
At halftime, Wells and Jones led the Bruins with a combined 19 points and eight steals, as Hay tabbed six points on 2-of-3 shooting. Lott logged a team-high eight first-half points for Marquette, while Van Kleunen and junior forward Marotta each chipped in seven points apiece.
The Golden Eagles dominated to open the third quarter, as they rode a 13-2 run for the first four minutes to take a 42-32 lead. Belmont cut the deficit with a 6-0 run courtesy of Jones and Wells, but Marquette would soon open it back up. A 3-pointer from Lott at the 2:23 mark held the Golden Eagles' advantage at 50-41. Hay knocked down a shot from deep with 16 seconds left, as Marquette took a 52-46 lead to the final period.
A pull-up jumper from Jones and a pair of free throws from Wells put the Bruins within one possession of tying the game in the first minute of the fourth quarter. Following a couple of buckets from the Golden Eagles, a 3-pointer from junior forward Conley Chinn sparked an 8-0 run for Belmont. The Bruins took the lead on a 3-pointer from junior guard Jamilyn Kinney with two minutes remaining, 61-59. Marquette went on to hold Belmont scoreless for the remainder of the contest, as Hay's 3-pointer rolled out to give the Golden Eagles a 64-61 victory.
In total, five different Bruins grabbed four or more rebounds on the day, while Wells, Kinney and Luly tied for the team-high in assists with two. Kinney, Luly, Chinn and junior guard Maddie Cook meshed for the remainder of Belmont's scoring with a combined 13 points.
INTERCEPTORS: The freshmen duo of Tuti Jones and Destinee Wells have overwhelmed teams on defense this year, as they mesh for an average of just under seven steals per game. Jones also holds among the nation's highest steal totals (16) and steal averages (5.3).
BIG TIME FRESHMEN: With 47 points from their freshmen class versus Marquette, the Bruins' newcomers have eclipsed the 30-point mark in each of the last three games.
TURN 'EM OVER: Belmont has forced a total of 50 combined turnovers from its last two opponents, as it has also grabbed 29 steals in that time frame.
TRIPLE THREAT: Following Sunday's tilt, the Bruins have three players (two freshmen) who currently average double-figure points through four contests: Tuti Jones (12.0), Madison Treece (11.3) and Destinee Wells (10.5).
UP NEXT: Belmont stays in Nashville to complete its regular season series with Tennessee State on Thursday, Dec. 17. Tip is set for 5 p.m. at the Gentry Center.
