Box Score NASHVILLE, Tenn. – A season-high 23 points from freshman guard Destinee Wells fueled Belmont women's basketball to a 69-57 home victory over the SIU Edwardsville Cougars Saturday afternoon.
POSTGAME INTERVIEW
Wells was backed by junior forward Conley Chinn (14 points) and fellow freshman guard Tuti Jones (12 points), as the Bruins (6-3, 3-1 OVC) shot above 40 percent from the field and from deep range on the day.
In total, Belmont grabbed 15 steals and forced 23 Cougar turnovers, as they cashed in on 25 points off turnovers. The Bruins also grabbed 15 offensive rebounds for 16 second chance points and dished out 15 assists.
SIU Edwardsville (5-9, 2-7 OVC) was led by sophomore forward Mikayla Kinnard with 17 points and five assists, while two other Cougars recorded double-figure points.
Belmont got off to a sluggish start in the opening quarter, as they fell behind 9-0 early on. Wells ended the silence with a 3-pointer at the halfway mark of the period, as the Bruins charged back. A pair of threes from sophomore guard Nikki Baird tied the game up at 11-11 at the 2:46 point of the period. An and-one from Wells with one minute left put Belmont ahead 16-13 after the first 10 minutes.
Junior forward Allison Luly boosted the Bruins in front by five points with a layup under the eight-minute mark. The two teams traded buckets for the next five minutes, until a second chance bucket from Baird sparked a Belmont run. The Bruins went on to record a scorching 13-3 run for the remainder of the second period and take a 40-28 advantage to the half.
At halftime, Belmont was fueled by 15 points from Wells, as it grabbed a total of 10 steals and forced 13 turnovers in the first two quarters. The Bruins were helped by a 24-point second period, their ninth time this year scoring 20-plus points in a quarter.
Belmont opened the second half with another slow start, as it allowed SIU Edwardsville within five points of the lead at the 5:05 mark of the third period. However, a 3-pointer and jumper from Jones and Wells on consecutive possessions put the Bruins back out to a 51-41 advantage with 2:24 left. Chinn nailed a 3-pointer to keep Belmont's lead at 54-45 going into the final quarter.
The Bruins opened the fourth period with more firepower, as they began an 8-0 run that was capped off with a layup from Jones at the 6:33 mark. Both teams went scoreless for the following three minutes. Belmont would not allow the Cougars within 10 points for the remainder of the contest, as it logged a 69-57 victory in the Curb Event Center.
With their performances Saturday, the duo of Wells and Chinn have each reached double-digit points in each of the last five outings. Luly brought down a team-high seven rebounds, while junior guard Maddie Cook and Baird both tallied four assists apiece. Overall, the Bruins knocked down 10 3-pointers on the day and registered a season-best 15 offensive boards.
SPECTACULAR START: With a season-best 23 points Saturday, Destinee Wells became the first Belmont freshman since Darby Maggard (2015-16) to record multiple 20-point games in a season.
FRESHMEN POURING IT ON: The Bruins received 35 points from their freshman class against SIU Edwardsville, which marked the eighth game in a row that freshmen have combined for 25-plus points.
LOCKDOWN: With 23 forced turnovers against the Cougars, Belmont has now forced 20-plus turnovers on six different opponents this season. The Bruins average a total of 21.6 points from turnovers per contest this year.
DISHING IT: Belmont's 15 assists on Saturday mark the seventh time this season where it has recorded 15 or more assists. The Bruins have also reached 15 assists in four of their last five appearances.
UP NEXT: Belmont kicks off a six-game road stint at UT Martin next Tuesday, as tip is set for 5 p.m. at the Elam Center.
