Women's Hoops Closes Weekend in Iowa at UNI Sunday Afternoon

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – Wrapping up its weekend stay in the Hawkeye State, the Belmont University women's basketball team takes on early Missouri Valley Conference leader Northern Iowa Sunday afternoon at the McLeod Center in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.
 
The league road contest will be broadcast on ESPN+ with Brad Wells and Eric Braley serving as talent. Dr. Rich Tiner will have the call of the action on Belmont Bruins Radio on iHeart Radio. Live in-game statistics will be available at BelmontBruins.com.
 
What's Bruin

• Following an undefeated three-game homestand, the Bruins (6-8, 2-1 MVC) are in the middle of a three-game MVC road trip.
• Belmont is looking to rebound from a 94-63 setback Friday evening at Drake in the Bruins' first-ever MVC road test.
• Last Sunday, Belmont defeated the University of Illinois Chicago 72-59 in a dominant performance inside the Curb Event Center to earn its third-straight victory in a New Year's Day game.
• With home wins over Valparaiso (74-6) and UIC, the Bruins got off to a 2-0 start in conference play for the sixth time in 11 seasons. Belmont has began league play 2-0 a total of 10 times in the program's NCAA era.
• Since 2012-13, the Bruins have compiled a remarkable 142-30 (.826) record in conference play and won 11 combined championships, including regular season and tournament titles.
• Head coach Bart Brooks is an astounding 82-10 (.891) in league action over his six seasons guiding Belmont.
• Friday's 31-point loss to the Bulldogs in Des Moines, Iowa, was the Bruins' largest margin of defeat since Nov. 30, 2019, versus Maryland in Daytona Beach, Florida. Drake's 94 points were the most by any opponent this season and represented the most scored against Belmont since March 6, 2020, when Southeast Missouri reached 114 in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament championship game.
• The Bruins started red-hot against the Bulldogs and led 25-23 following the first quarter of play after shooting 10-for-14 across the opening 10 minutes. Junior guard Destinee Wells scored 12 of her team-high 14 points in the first quarter as Belmont started 3-for-5 from beyond the arc. However, Drake outscored the Bruins 22-8 in the second quarter to take a 12-point, 45-33 lead into the break. The host Bulldogs went on to outpace Belmont 71-38 across the final three quarters with the Bruins unable to get into any offensive rhythm after the first quarter. Shooting 63.3 percent in the second half, Drake had five different players reach double-figure scoring. Knocking down 14 three-pointers, the Bulldogs outscored Belmont 40-22 in the paint and owned a plus-30 (55-25) advantage on the boards. Drake scored 27 of its points off 18 offensive rebounds. Sophomore guard Kilyn McGuff was the Bruins' only other double-figure scorer, finishing with 13 points and four boards.
• Recording her second career double-double last Sunday versus the Flames with 18 points and 10 rebounds, both of junior forward Madison Bartley's double-doubles have been achieved on New Year's Day. She began 2022 with 21 points and 14 rebounds in a road victory at Eastern Illinois.
• Graduate guard Sydni Harvey garnered MVC Player and Newcomer of the Week accolades following Christmas weekend for her sensational shooting display and 33-point outing in Belmont's thrilling 98-87 overtime victory over Troy on Dec. 20. She recorded the first 30-point game by a Bruin since March 6, 2021, when Wells scored 32 in the 2021 OVC Tournament championship game versus UT Martin. Harvey's program record 10 three-pointers were the second-most ever by a MVC player in a game and she became the first NCAA Division I women's basketball player to hit 10 threes in a contest this season. Her 10th trey 78 seconds into overtime put Belmont up 87-82 as she tied the Curb record for made triples in a game. Harvey also became the first Valley player to make 10 threes in a contest since Drake's Kyndal Clark did so versus Loyola Chicago on Jan. 24, 2014. Prior to Harvey's 10-for-12 shooting from outside, the last Division I women's player to make 10 three-pointers on 12 or fewer attempts was Marshall's Taylor Porter, who also went 10-for-12 from deep on March 7, 2019, against Florida International University. The Nashville, Tennessee (Brentwood Academy), native went 3-for-4 at the free-throw line and added a pair of rebounds in the home win over the Trojans. Harvey's 42.5 three-point percentage and 31 made treys on the season are both among MVC leaders.
• With 21 boards against Troy, sophomore forward Tessa Miller registered the Bruins' first 20-rebound performance since Ellie Harmeyer notched 20 versus the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga on Nov. 6, 2019. Her 21 rebounds were just three off the single-game program record of 24.
• Along with 24 points and a season-high nine assists, Wells added a trio of rebounds and a pair of steals in Belmont's non-conference finale win over the Trojans. She became the first MVC player since 2016 to total 24 points, nine assists and two steals in a game. The Lakeland, Tennessee (Houston HS), native also became the first MVC player since 2012 to tally 24 points, nine assists and two steals while making two or more three-pointers (2-of-5). Wells' 24-point, nine-assist, two-steal performance was only the ninth in the nation this season – three of the first eight such outings were accomplished by Iowa's Caitlin Clark, the reigning Big Ten Conference Player of the Year. With her 25-point output last Sunday against UIC, Wells became the third Bruin since 2009-10 to score 25-plus points in 10 or more career games, joining Kylee Smith (12) and Ellie Harmeyer (11).
• Despite its 6-8 record, Belmont sits just outside the top 100 in the NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) rankings at No. 103 as the fourth-highest ranked MVC team. Northern Iowa owns the second-highest NET ranking in the 12-team league, entering Sunday ranked 62nd.
• The Bruins' non-conference strength of schedule is ranked as the 18th-most difficult in the nation. Furthermore, Belmont's average opponent NET ranking (No. 99) is the seventh-highest in the country.
• The Bruins have faced a trio of teams ranked in the top 30 of the NET – No. 17 Iowa (Nov. 20), No. 19 Villanova (Nov. 25) and No. 23 Middle Tennessee (Nov. 16). In fact, seven of Belmont's first 10 games were against top-75 NET teams, including the Bruins' final non-conference trip to No. 50 Georgia (Dec. 17), back-to-back matchups against No. 75 Georgia Tech (Nov. 27 and Dec. 4), and a home date with No. 32 Louisville (Nov. 13).
• Seven of Belmont's 10 non-conference opponents this season won over 20 games last year and earned a national postseason tournament bid.
• A total of 12 opponents on the Bruins' schedule reached a national postseason tournament last March, including seven who earned a NCAA Tournament berth, and 11 won at least 20 games last season. The Panthers are one of such opponents. Northern Iowa went 23-11 in 2021-22 and reached the second round of the WNIT.
• With a challenging four-game stretch from Nov. 13-25, Belmont has taken on three nationally-ranked teams. Louisville was ranked seventh in the nation when the Cardinals visited Nashville on Nov. 13 and the Bruins traveled to now receiving-votes Middle Tennessee just three days later before heading to fourth-ranked Iowa on Nov. 20. On Friday, Nov. 25 in Estero, Florida, at the Gulf Coast Showcase, Belmont battled then 23rd-ranked Villanova in a high-scoring 83-80 setback.
• Just like the Bruins' first three MVC matchups, Sunday afternoon will be the first-ever meeting between Belmont and the Panthers. The Bruins are making just their second-ever trip to the state of Iowa, their first taking place earlier this season when Belmont visited then top-five ranked Iowa in Iowa City on Nov. 20.
• Four different Bruins have posted multiple 20-point performances this season with Wells leading the way (6), followed by McGuff, Harvey and Bartley with two 20-point games apiece.
• Wells has been held under double figures in consecutive games just once in her impressive career, finishing with nine points at then No. 4 Iowa on Nov. 20 after scoring five at now receiving-votes Middle Tennessee on Nov. 16.
• Following the first week of the season, Wells was tabbed MVC Player of the Week after a pair of 20-point home showings against Chattanooga and top-10 ranked Louisville. Wells scored 26 of her 40 points on the week in the fourth quarter, grabbed a career-high tying seven rebounds against the Mocs, and put Belmont in front of the nationally-ranked Cardinals with only 2:17 remaining. The star guard became the Bruins' 33rd 1,000-point scorer in the tightly-contested matchup with seventh-ranked Louisville and was named to the 2022-23 John R. Wooden Award^® presented by Wendy's^® Preseason Top 50 Watch List after the opening week of the season. One of only four mid-major players to appear on the prestigious watch list, Wells has scored 1,196 points and registered 314 assists in only 70 career games. She has reached double-figure scoring in all but five of her last 59 games and 62 of 70 career outings. Wells owns 26 20-point games and was tabbed MVC Preseason Player of the Year in Belmont's first year in the league.
• Between Harvey, who scored 1,142 points at South Florida and has accounted for 1,293 career points, and Wells, the Bruins have two career 1,000-point scorers.
• Belmont received seven votes in the Associated Press (AP) Top 25 and eight votes in the USA Today Sports/Women's Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Coaches Poll following week one of the regular season. The Bruins received 14 votes in the preseason AP Top 25 and nine votes in the preseason USA Today Sports/WBCA Coaches Poll.
• One of the premier mid-major programs in the country, Belmont began the season ranked No. 6 in the nation in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25^®.
• Entering their first season in the MVC, the Bruins were picked to win the conference after a vote of the league's head coaches, sports information directors and media members. Belmont received 32 of 44 possible first-place votes in the preseason predicted order of finish.
• Ranked 25th in Sports Illustrated's 2022-23 basketball preview edition, the Bruins have either been ranked or received votes in at least one of the two major national polls for eight-straight seasons.
• Belmont is the only non-power conference program to reach the NCAA Tournament Round of 32 each of the last two seasons.
• The Bruins have earned a national postseason bid nine of the last 10 years and reached each of the last six NCAA Tournaments.
• Belmont is one of just 12 programs in the nation and one of only three non-power conference teams (Florida Gulf Coast and South Dakota State) to win 20 or more games for seven-straight seasons.
• The Bruins own the 17th-most victories in NCAA Division I women's basketball history (1,040).
• Belmont is the only school in the nation to win 20 or more games for seven consecutive seasons in both men's and women's basketball.
• In 2021-22, Belmont and BYU were the only two schools in the country who received votes in top-25 coaches polls in men's and women's basketball and baseball during their respective regular seasons.
• In his sixth season at the helm, coach Brooks has guided the Bruins to an impressive 129-42 (.754) record and eight combined conference championships, including regular season and tournament titles.

About the Panthers

• Led by 16th-year head coach Tanya Warren, who has taken Northern Iowa to all three of its NCAA Tournaments and is the dean of MVC women's basketball coaches, the Panthers are the last unbeaten team in conference play. Off to a 3-0 start in the MVC, Northern Iowa is 8-4 overall.
• The Panthers routed Murray State 81-54 Friday evening at home after convincing conference road victories at Bradley (83-64) and Illinois State (74-64).
• Like Belmont, Northern Iowa put together a difficult non-conference schedule with three nationally-ranked opponents – No. 7 Iowa State (Nov. 16), No. 20 Creighton (Nov. 20) and No. 12 Iowa. The Panthers also traveled to receiving-votes South Dakota State on Dec. 3. Those four opponents make up all of Northern Iowa's losses. Notably, the Panthers came within a possession of knocking off the top-10 ranked Cyclones early in the season and led with just over two minutes to go.
• Northern Iowa's 75 points per game rank in the top 60 nationally, while the Panthers' 8.4 made three-pointers per contest rank 32nd in the nation.
• Grace Boffeli, a 6-foot-1 sophomore forward who earned All-MVC honorable mention honors last season, is third in the MVC in scoring (17.2 PPG) and leads the league in rebounding (8.8 RPG).
• Maya McDermott, a 5-foot-6 sophomore guard, is averaging 13.8 points and a team-best 3.5 assists per game, while 5-foot-10 sophomore guard Emerson Green (9.7 PPG) and 5-foot-9 senior guard Kam Finley (9.1 PPG) are averaging near double-figure scoring.

Up Next
The Bruins close out their three-game road stretch at familiar conference foe Murray State Wednesday. The rivalry game will tip at 6 p.m. from the CFSB Center in Murray, Kentucky, and be broadcast on ESPN+.
 
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