Bruins Claw Wildcats 69-59 to Close Out Thanksgiving Week in the Sunshine State

FORT MYERS, Fla. – Behind 50 percent shooting from the field and a strong offensive first half, the Belmont University women's basketball team defeated Davidson College 69-59 Saturday in the third-place game of the 2024 Elevance Health Fort Myers Tip-Off Shell Division. The Bruins (3-4) got a career-high 18 points on 7-for-10 shooting and a team-best eight rebounds from senior forward Carmyn Harrison inside Suncoast Credit Union Arena in Fort Myers, Florida.
 
After the Wildcats (3-5) scored the first five points of the game in the opening minute, Belmont led from the 6:33 mark of the first quarter onward.
 
Four different Bruins reached double figures and Belmont finished 26-of-52 from the floor. The Bruins scored 39 first-half points behind 58.6 percent (17-of-29) shooting after starting the late-afternoon contest 3-for-5 from beyond the arc.
 
With Harrison dominating in the trenches, Belmont scored 44 of its points in the paint. The Bruins also forced 18 Davidson turnovers and scored 27 points off the Wildcats' miscues.
 
Davidson held a 33-26 advantage on the boards and scored 12 points off 12 offensive rebounds.
 
Consecutive layups from graduate guard Kendall Holmes sparked a tone-setting 17-2 Belmont scoring run in the first quarter as junior guard Emily La Chapell knocked down a three-pointer to put the Bruins up 19-7 six-and-a-half minutes in. Despite Belmont shooting a blistering 69.2 percent (9-of-13) in the first quarter, the Wildcats closed the gap with an 8-2 run to close the opening stanza. The Bruins led 21-15 following the first 10 minutes of action.
 
Lay-ins from Harrison and sophomore guard Jailyn Banks extended Belmont's lead back out to a dozen a little over 90 seconds into the second quarter. The Bruins then took their first 14-point lead at 31-17 on baskets from freshman guard Sanaa Tripp and senior forward Kendal Cheesman. After Davidson got within nine at 33-24 with just under three minutes to go in the first half, Belmont scored the final six points of the second quarter. A tip-in from Tripp put Belmont ahead 39-25 at the break.
 
Both teams shot 50 percent in the second quarter with the Bruins going 8-for-16 and the Wildcats 4-for-8. La Chapell and Banks combined for 17 of Belmont's first-half points.
 
Davidson outscored the Bruins 18-13 in the third quarter after starting the second half on a 9-2 run. A layup by the Wildcats' Candice Lienafa got Davidson within seven at 41-34 a little over three minutes into the second half. Cheesman pushed the lead back out to 11 with a jumper in the paint, but the Wildcats continued to stick around. A layup from Davidson's Charlise Dunn made it a six-point affair at 47-41 with 3:10 to go in the third.
 
An old-fashioned three-point play from La Chapell put Belmont in front 52-41 with 96 seconds remaining in the third and the Bruins took a nine-point, 52-43 lead into the final quarter.
 
Harrison scored the first four points of the fourth quarter and a La Chapell layup kept Belmont comfortably ahead 60-50 with 6:22 left. However, the Wildcats made one final push midway through the fourth.
 
A layup by Davidson's Dunn and a jumper by the Wildcats' Lienafa made it a six-point game at 60-54 with 3:32 remaining. The Bruins went right back to Harrison, who delivered with a basket, and Belmont scored eight-straight points to hold a 14-point lead at 68-54 with just under a minute to go.
 
Holmes, Harrison and Banks made key free throws down the stretch.
 
Davidson outscored the Bruins 34-30 in the second half as Belmont was held to 39.1 percent (9-of-23) shooting and went 0-for-4 from outside. The Wildcats shot 40 percent (14-of-35) in the half and were 3-for-13 from distance.
 
Twelve of Harrison's career-best 18 points came in the second half.
 
Banks went 5-for-9 from the field for 15 points, while La Chapell was 6-for-12 for 14 points and came up with a career-high tying four steals. Holmes scored 10 and Cheesman provided eight points. Tripp had her first career multi-basket game.
 
Averaging 15.5 points on 76.9 percent (10-of-13) shooting, 7.0 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 1.5 steals for the week against Davidson and receiving-votes Michigan, Harrison was named to the Fort Myers Tip-Off All-Tournament Team.

After averaging 15.5 points on 76.9% shooting and 7.0 rebounds, Carmyn Harrison has been named to the @FTMyersTipOff ??????-???????????????????? ????????!! ????

She scored a career-high 18 points in the W over Davidson! ??#ItsBruinTime | #Splashville pic.twitter.com/Ad38v45UBL

— Belmont WBasketball (@BelmontWBB) December 1, 2024

The Wildcats got 16 points, eight boards and three steals from Dunn and 14 points from Lienafa.

?? | Postgame with senior forward Carmyn Harrison and HC @BartABrooks following the Bruins' gritty triumph over Davidson in the @FTMyersTipOff ??#ItsBruinTime | #Splashville pic.twitter.com/YxRZ5kZknb

— Belmont WBasketball (@BelmontWBB) December 1, 2024

Of Note

• Prior to Saturday, the Bruins had faced three-straight power conference opponents – receiving-votes Michigan (Nov. 29) in Fort Myers, 14th-ranked Duke (Nov. 21) on the road and 12th-ranked Ohio State (Nov. 17) at home.
• The victory snaps a three-game slide.
• Saturday's matchup was the first-ever meeting between Belmont and Davidson.
• The Bruins improve to 2-2 all-time against Atlantic 10 Conference opponents.
• Harrison has scored at least 13 points in three consecutive outings and reached double figures in four of her last five games.

Up Next
On Wednesday, Belmont heads to the opposite end of Belmont Boulevard to take on nearby rival Lipscomb for the 78th edition of the Battle of the Boulevard. Tipoff from Allen Arena in Nashville is scheduled for 6 p.m. The rivalry game will be broadcast on ESPN+. Next Saturday, the Bruins host receiving-votes Middle Tennessee, who was in the Island Division of the Elevance Health Fort Myers Tip-Off.
 
Ticket Info
Season tickets are on sale now for $199 per seat and include all women's and men's basketball home games.
 
View available seating and purchase your seats.
 
Flex pack plans for the 2024-25 season are also on sale and can be purchased here.
 
For more information, call 615-460-BALL or visit BelmontBruins.com/Tickets.
 
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.