Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content
HOME OF the BELMONT BRUINS
Kendal_Cheesman_vs_MissouriState2024
Belmont Athletics
55
Missouri St. MOST 12-5,6-2 MVC
66
Winner Belmont BEL 14-5,7-1 MVC
Missouri St. MOST
12-5,6-2 MVC
55
Final
66
Belmont BEL
14-5,7-1 MVC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Missouri St. MOST 6 16 22 11 55
Belmont BEL 20 18 9 19 66

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Women's Basketball Earns 66-55 Win Over Missouri State in Nashville Return

Bruins Move to 7-1 in Missouri Valley Conference Play; Cheesman Records Second Consecutive Double-Double

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – After a four-game road stretch, the Belmont University women's basketball team made the best of being back at the Curb Event Center Friday night in the Music City. The Bruins secured a 66-55 Missouri Valley Conference victory over Missouri State to begin a three-game homestand and improve to 7-1 in the Valley.
 
Belmont (14-5) got off to a hot start and withstood a strong third-quarter rally by the visiting Lady Bears (12-5, 6-2 MVC).
 
Leading by as much as 22 in the second quarter, the Bruins held a 38-22 advantage at halftime before being outscored 22-9 in the third period. However, Belmont outpaced Missouri State 19-11 across the final nine-and-a-half minutes of play as junior forward Kendal Cheesman recorded her second-straight double-double.
 
Cheesman's game-high 18 points and 12 rebounds led a trio of double-figure scoring Bruins and Belmont was relentless inside. The Bruins outrebounded the Lady Bears 43-32 and outscored Missouri State 38-20 in the paint.

For the third consecutive game, Belmont held its opponent below 40 percent shooting with the Bruins limiting the Lady Bears to 20-for-57 (35.1 percent) from the field. Belmont outscored Missouri State 18-8 on second-chance points, collecting 15 offensive boards.
 
The Bruins assisted on 17 of their 25 made field goals.
 
Twenty-six of the Lady Bears' 55 points came from their bench.

Following an opening basket from Missouri State's Kyrah Daniels, Belmont went on an 8-0 run and led the rest of the way. A hook shot from junior forward Tessa Miller capped the Bruins' initial scoring run and a three-pointer from sophomore guard Emily La Chapell put Belmont in front by 11 at 17-6 with just over two-and-a-half minutes left in the first quarter. The Bruins ended the opening stanza on a 10-0 run with Cheesman giving Belmont a 20-6 lead through one quarter of action. Connecting on nine of their 15 first-quarter shot attempts (60 percent), the Bruins gave up only three field goals in the inaugural 12 minutes of play.

Extending its run to 15-0, Belmont led 25-6 two minutes into the second quarter. Another Cheesman three gave the Bruins their first 20-point lead at 30-10 with seven minutes to go in the half.

Junior forward Carmyn Harrison grabbed an offensive rebound and scored on a putback while being fouled to give Belmont its largest lead of the evening at 32-10 with 5:42 remaining in the in the second. The Lady Bears outscored the Bruins 12-6 in the closing 5:11 of the half, but Belmont took a 16-point lead into the break. The Bruins shot 53.6 percent (15-of-28) in the first half and went 3-for-6 from beyond the arc. Cheesman had 13 points at intermission.
 
Limited to 30 percent (9-of-30) first-half shooting, Missouri State got 14 points from reserve guard Kaemyn Bekemeier.

The Lady Bears began the second half on a 10-2 run with Missouri State's Daniels making it an eight-point game at 40-32 with a driving layup a little over three minutes into the third quarter. Belmont temporarily halted the Lady Bears' momentum with back-to-back layups by Miller. Freshman standout guard Jailyn Banks hit a three-point jumper to put the Bruins back up by 13 at 47-34 a little past the midway point of the third, but Missouri State proceeded to make another strong push. A 10-0 run got the Lady Bears right back in the contest as starting forward Indya Green knocked down a triple and Kennedy Taylor converted a pair of free throws to make it 47-44 with just over a minute to go in the third quarter.
 
Belmont was held scoreless for the last four-and-a-half minutes of the quarter.

Missouri State's Green scored nine points in the third period and the Lady Bears shot 46.7 percent (7-of-15) from the field, including going 3-for-7 (42.9 percent) from deep. The Bruins were just 4-for-14 (28.6 percent) from the floor in the third.

Cheesman scored on a layup 30 seconds into the fourth quarter, but Missouri State stayed within four on a Daniels three two-and-a-half minutes in. Belmont extended the lead back out to nine at 56-47 on a Miller layup and a three-pointer from redshirt junior guard Tuti Jones. Miller scored down low once again to give the Bruins a commanding 58-49 lead with 4:17 remaining. Rebounding and made free throws proved to be pivotal down the stretch.

Free throws from La Chapell put Belmont up by double digits for the first time of the quarter with 3:40 left and Cheesman all but clinched the game at the 2:38 mark, finishing a conventional three-point play following her own miss. Cheesman's offensive rebound, putback and foul shot made it 63-53. Junior guard Kilyn McGuff and La Chapell connected on a trio of free throws in the final two-and-a-half minutes. The Lady Bears' Taylor provided Missouri State with its last points, scoring on a second-chance layup with 15 seconds to go.

Outscoring the Bruins 33-28 in the second half, the Lady Bears kept Belmont to 33.3 percent (10-of-30) shooting. The Bruins were 2-for-11 from outside across the second 20 minutes of action as Missouri State shot 40.7 percent (11-of-27) and was 5-for-13 (38.5 percent) from long range.
 
Miller scored eight of her 14 points in the second half, finishing 7-for-8 from the field and adding six rebounds, three assists, a block and a steal. Cheesman also tallied three assists for the second consecutive game and made a block.
 
La Chapell posted 13 points and four boards and knocked down all six of her free throws. Jones accounted for nine points, a team-best six assists and five rebounds.

Bekemeier paced the Lady Bears with her 14 first-half points and Missouri State got 13 points from Green. The Lady Bears' Taylor finished with 12 points and Missouri State starting point guard Lacy Stokes dished out a game-high seven assists. Of Note
  • Belmont is 3-0 all-time against the Lady Bears, who are two-time Final Four and five-time Sweet 16 members.
  • The Bruins have held 12 of their 19 opponents this season under 65 points and kept nine teams under 60 points.
  • Belmont has held five of its eight conference opponents under 60 points.
  • Cheesman has scored in double figures in six-straight games for the first time in her career. She is averaging 15.3 points and 7.7 rebounds over her last six outings.
  • Friday night was Cheesman's third career double-double.

Up Next
The Bruins welcome Southern Illinois to the Curb Sunday afternoon for a 2 p.m. tip. The matinee matchup will be broadcast on ESPN+. Next Friday, Belmont hosts rival and former Ohio Valley Conference foe Murray State at 6 p.m. for a regionally-televised primetime affair.

How to Follow
Follow Belmont women's basketball on social media - @BelmontWBB on X, formerly 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.
 
#ItsBruinTime
 
Print Friendly Version