NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Behind four double-figure scorers the Belmont University women's basketball team won its 14th straight in the Battle of the Boulevard against rival Lipscomb with a 70-51 victory Wednesday evening inside the Curb Event Center. In the 77th edition of the Battle of the Boulevard, the Bruins (6-3) overcame a slow start before outscoring the visiting Bisons (5-3) 34-18 in the second half.
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Belmont owned the paint for the majority of the game and outscored Lipscomb 42-28 between the lines, while controlling the glass with a plus-18 rebounding margin (43-25).
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An efficient scoring affair, the Bruins shot 52 percent (26-of-50) from the floor and knocked down 15 of their 18 free-throw attempts (83.3 percent).
Trailing by three after the first 10 minutes of action, Belmont used a 21-point second quarter to take control of the contest. It was then Belmont's defense that closed things out in the second half as the Bruins held the Bisons to only seven made field goals and 25 percent shooting (7-of-28) across the final 20 minutes of play.
Junior guard
Kilyn McGuff recorded her second career double-double with a career-best 14 rebounds and 13 points and freshman standout guard
Jailyn Banks notched a team-high 16 points. Junior forward
Tessa Miller had an outstanding all-around game with 14 points, eight boards, five assists, two blocks and a steal.
Lipscomb jumped out to an 11-6 lead in the first five minutes and extended its advantage to seven with a layup from starting guard/forward Bella Vinson. Trailing by seven once again at 15-8 with three minutes to go in the opening quarter, Belmont put together a 7-0 run ignited by a Miller layup. Another Miller layup with just over 90 seconds left in the quarter evened the score at 15.
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The Bisons would get a three-pointer from starting guard Claira McGowan before the end of the quarter to take an 18-15 lead into the second stanza.
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Despite going 6-for-11 from the field in the first quarter, the Bruins committed six turnovers.
Belmont started the second quarter on a 9-2 run and took a 24-20 lead a little over two minutes in on a Miller offensive rebound and layup. Knotted at 28 midway through the second quarter, the Bruins weren't able to create much separation. Another three from Lipscomb's McGowan gave the visitors a 33-30 lead before Belmont scored the last six points of the first half.
Four consecutive free throws from McGuff gave the Bruins a 36-33 lead at the break. Shooting 53.8 percent (14-of-26) in the half, Belmont committed 10 of its 19 turnovers on the day. The Bruins held a 20-12 advantage on the boards as the Bisons shot 44.1 percent (15-of-34) and were 3-for-8 (37.5 percent) from long range.
Miller down low and a McGuff mid-range jumper gave Belmont a 40-35 lead early in the third quarter before the Bruins put together a 10-3 run over a six-minute stretch. McGuff splashed in a triple from the top of the key to push Belmont in front 50-41 with two-and-a-half minutes remaining in the third.
Although Lipscomb shot 31.3 percent (5-of-16) in the quarter, the Bisons were within five heading into the fourth. The Bruins led 51-46 through three quarters.
Belmont put on a defensive clinic in the final quarter, limiting Lipscomb to five points on 2-for-12 (16.7 percent) shooting. Going 6-for-11 (54.5 percent) from the field and 6-for-7 at the free-throw line, the Bruins kept the Bisons scoreless for the last seven-and-a-half minutes of the game.
A 7-0 run to start the fourth put Belmont up by double digits for the first time. Redshirt junior guard
Tuti Jones knocked down a three with 8:17 left, giving the Bruins a 12-point lead at 58-46. Lipscomb responded with five-straight points, its only field goals of the quarter, before Belmont ended the game on a 12-0 run.
A remarkable conventional three-point play by Miller gave the Bruins a 63-51 lead with six minutes to go and Jones made Belmont's last basket on a layup with just over two minutes remaining, making it 69-51. Freshman guard
Kensley Feltner capped the evening with a free throw for her first collegiate point.
Jones scored seven points in the fourth quarter and McGuff had nine in the second half. The Bruins shot 50 percent (12-of-24) in the half and went 8-for-10 at the charity stripe.
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Jones finished with 13 points and a pair of steals.
The Bisons' Aleah Sorrentino led all scorers with 18 points, while McGowan went 4-for-7 from distance for 12 points. Lipscomb also got 11 points from Vinson and a game-high six assists from Ainhoa Cea.
Of Note
- Belmont improves to 51-26 all-time versus the Bisons.
- The Bruins have not lost to Lipscomb in 12 years.
- Belmont is 28-9 in the Battle of the Boulevard since becoming a NCAA member (1996-97).
- The Bruins are 14-2 against Lipscomb in the Curb.
- Head coach
Bart Brooks is a perfect 6-0 versus the Bisons.
- McGuff has averaged 19 points and 9.5 rebounds in the last two Battle of the Boulevard games.
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Up Next
Belmont has an 11-day break from game action before returning to play on Sunday, Dec. 17 at Kennesaw State. Tipoff from the KSU Convocation Center in Kennesaw, Georgia, is slated for 1 p.m. The non-conference road game will be broadcast on
ESPN+.
Ticket Information
Both single game and season tickets are on sale. Season tickets are only $199 per seat and include all women's and men's basketball home games.
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View available seating and purchase your seats.
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Flex pack plans for the 2023-24 season area also on sale and can be purchased
here.
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For more information, call 615-460-BALL or visit
BelmontBruins.com/Tickets.
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How to Follow
Follow Belmont women's basketball on social media -Â
@BelmontWBBÂ on Twitter,Â
@belmontwbb on Instagram andÂ
Belmont Women's Basketball on Facebook - for complete coverage of the Bruins. Stay up to date with all of Belmont's athletic programs via theÂ
official app of the Belmont Bruins, available both in the Apple App Store and on Google Play.
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