Box Score Postgame Press Conference | Postgame Quotes
2022 NCAA Tournament Bracket
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Demonstrating its trademark fearlessness, talent and resiliency to the nation, Belmont University women's basketball dropped a 70-67 decision at No. 4 seed Tennessee Monday night in the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship Second Round from Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Within an eyelash of the program's first Sweet 16 appearance, the 12th-seeded Bruins (23-8) rallied from a 14-point third-quarter deficit behind the heroic play of Destinee Wells, Tuti Jones and Madison Bartley. The sophomore trio combined to score 55 points and spearheaded Belmont to a late lead.
A Bartley layin gave Belmont a 66-64 lead with 2:22 remaining.
From there, the Bruins forced four missed shots by the 18th-ranked Lady Volunteers (25-8) before Sara Puckett made a baseline three-pointer with 18 seconds left to give the hosts a one-point lead.
After a Belmont opportunity under the basket was awarded to Tennessee and two Tamari Key free throws, the Lady Vols denied the Bruins an opportunity for a game-tying three-pointer by fouling Jones with 3.8 seconds left.
Jones made the first free throw to get Belmont within 69-67, before intentionally missing the second free-throw attempt. Tennessee secured the rebound and Key made one free throw with three seconds to go, before Wells' potential game-tying shot from 35-feet out narrowly missed.
The Bruins scored 23 second-chance points off 18 offensive rebounds and made eight triples.
Belmont was outscored 44-32 in the paint and was outrebounded 44-40. The Lady Vols got 18 of their 70 points off the bench and assisted on 19 of their 29 made field goals.
Both teams took care of the ball with the Bruins committing just eight turnovers and Tennessee nine.
Belmont overcame 37 percent (27-of-73) shooting for the night but went 5-for-10 at the free-throw line. Both Jones and Wells scored 16 points in the second half as the duo combined to go 4-for-7 from deep across the final 20 minutes.
Bartley drained a three just 1:11 in to give the Bruins their first lead before the Lady Vols closed the opening quarter on a 10-4 run to take a 19-13 lead after one quarter of action.
A 9-3 start to the second quarter gave Tennessee a 12-point advantage at 28-16 and Belmont struggled to hit shots following defensive stops. Alexus Dye made a layup in the final minute of the first half to put the Lady Vols in front 35-23 at the break.
Limited to 25 percent (9-of-36) first-half shooting, the Bruins needed a spark in the second half and that's exactly what they got. Meanwhile, Tennessee shot 42 percent (15-of-36) across the first 20 minutes and went 2-for-5 from beyond the arc.
Another Dye layup put the Lady Vols up 43-29 just over three minutes into the second half before Belmont made its remarkable run. Gaining the attention of basketball fans throughout the country, the Bruins outscored eight-time national champion Tennessee 17-3 over a 5:51 stretch. Following a jumper by senior forward Conley Chinn, Jones finished off a conventional three-point play. It would be just the beginning as moments later Jones made back-to-back layups within five seconds. Ripping away an offensive board, Jones scored and then came up with a steal on the ensuing inbound for another layin. Her buckets getting Belmont within four at 44-40.
A Jones three-pointer made it a three-point affair before Wells finished off another old-fashioned three-point play, knotting up the score at 46 with a minute to go in the third quarter.
An 8-3 Lady Vol run put the home team back up 54-49 with just under eight minutes to go, but the Bruins would not be deterred. Threes from Jones and Wells sparked an 8-2 Belmont run as a Wells layup at the 5:48 mark gave the Bruins their first lead since 7-6 in the first quarter.
Bartley nailed her second trey of the night with just under five minutes to go, keeping Belmont in front by one at 59-58. Consecutive layups by Bartley and Wells gave the Bruins their largest lead of the contest at 63-60 with 3:27 remaining. A Wells free throw put Belmont in front 64-62 with just under three minutes left.
The Bruins were much improved from the field in the second half, going 18-for-37 (48.6 percent). Tennessee shot 46.7 percent (14-of-30) in the second half and connected on six of its 10 foul shots.
After going 0-for-3 in the first half with just one point, Jones went 6-for-9 from the floor in the second half as she finished with 17 points, six rebounds, four assists and two steals. Wells posted a game-high 22 points and also recorded six rebounds, four assists and two steals. Bartley scored 16 points on 7-of-14 shooting and collected six boards.
Seniors Conley Chinn and Jamilyn Kinney played in their final collegiate basketball game. The tandem joins Macie Culbertson and Allison Luly as one of the most successful senior classes in program history. With multiple Ohio Valley Conference regular season championships, league tournament titles and NCAA Tournament appearances, the senior class finishes 92-30 (.754) over the last four seasons.
Belmont, who took the nation by storm with its thrilling double-overtime First Round upset of fifth-seeded Oregon (73-70), delivered two of the most entertaining games in NCAA Tournament history en route to its second consecutive Round of 32 appearance. The Bruins became only the second program to win NCAA Tournament games in consecutive seasons as a No. 12 seed or lower (Middle Tennessee in 2004 and 2005).
Follow Belmont women's basketball on social media - @BelmontWBB on Twitter, @belmontwbb on Instagram and Belmont Women's Basketball on Facebook - for complete coverage of the Bruins. Stay up to date with all of Belmont's athletic programs via the official app of the Belmont Bruins, available both in the Apple App Store and on Google Play.
About Belmont University
Located near the heart of thriving Nashville, Tennessee, Belmont University consists of nearly 8,800 students who come from every state and 33 countries. The University is nationally recognized for its innovative approach as well as its commitment to undergraduate teaching (U.S. News & World Report). As a Christ-centered, student-focused community, Belmont's mission is to develop diverse leaders of purpose, character and wisdom who possess a transformational mindset and are eager and equipped to make the world a better place. With more than 115 areas of undergraduate study, 41 master's programs and five doctoral degrees, Belmont University aims to be the leading Christ-centered university in the world, producing leaders who will radically champion the pursuit of life abundant for all people. For more information, visit www.Belmont.edu.
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