ST. LOUIS – The Belmont University women's basketball team's full 2024-25 schedule has been unveiled following the league office's announcement of the Missouri Valley Conference slate Thursday afternoon. With the Bruins' new campaign tipping off in just over 40 days and the team's first official practice of the season Thursday, Belmont enters its third year in the nation's second-oldest conference.
After going through one of the top non-conference schedules in the country, which features at least six matchups against power conference programs, the Bruins' 20-game MVC agenda begins Sunday, Dec. 29 at the Curb Event Center against Bradley. Belmont's conference slate also includes a three-game homestand from Jan. 24 – Feb. 1 and senior day versus Missouri State on Saturday, March 1.
"Our conference schedule is full of difficult matchups and opportunities for our program to grow," spoke head coach
Bart Brooks. "Once again, our fans will get to see great basketball in the Curb, and our team is really excited about the challenges that come with competing in this great league."
The Bruins will take on all Valley teams twice, with the exception of Bradley and Illinois State (Feb. 20).
Rival Murray State visits the Curb on Saturday, Feb. 1 and Belmont hosts two-time defending MVC Tournament champion Drake on Saturday, Feb. 15.
Other home MVC dates include UIC on Friday, Jan. 10, Valparaiso on Sunday, Jan. 12, Evansville on Friday, Jan. 24, Indiana State on Sunday, Jan. 26, Northern Iowa on Thursday, Feb. 13, and Southern Illinois on Thursday, Feb. 27.
Coupled with the Bruins' impressive non-conference schedule, which includes the prestigious 2024 Elevance Health Fort Myers Tip-Off Friday and Saturday, Nov. 29-30 in Florida, Belmont will face no fewer than 10 teams who won 20 or more games last year in 2024-25. The Bruins will go up against nine programs who finished in the top 100 of the final 2023-24 NCAA Evaluation Tool (NET) rankings and see no less than 12 national postseason teams from a year ago. Of those, six reached the 2024 NCAA Tournament.
With both Michigan and Virginia Tech in Belmont's division of the Fort Myers Tip-Off, the Bruins could play against seven NCAA Tournament teams from last year this season.
The home portion of Belmont's schedule will be highlighted by marquee games against reigning conference champions Ohio State and Middle Tennessee. The defending Big Ten Conference regular season champion Buckeyes visit the Music City on Sunday, Nov. 17 and the Bruins welcome the defending Conference USA regular season and tournament champion Lady Raiders to the Curb on Saturday, Dec. 7. Both Ohio State and Middle Tennessee made the second round of the NCAA Tournament last March.
Belmont begins the season on Thursday, Nov. 7 in Manhattan, Kansas, at Big 12 Conference member Kansas State.
The Bruins' home opener is set for Thursday, Nov. 14 against Kennesaw State.
Participating in an MTE (multi-team event) for the third consecutive year with the Fort Myers Tip-Off in the Sunshine State, Belmont will play in three neutral-site games during the regular season. The Bruins get a neutral-site matchup with Southeastern Conference mainstay Mississippi State on Saturday, Dec. 14 at Cadence Bank Arena in Tupelo, Mississippi.
The 78th Battle of the Boulevard versus nearby rival Lipscomb will take place at the opposite end of Belmont Boulevard this year on Wednesday, Dec. 4. Belmont has won 14 straight in the rivalry series.
The Bruins' schedule will culminate with the 2024 MVC Tournament, which will be held at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana, Thursday-Sunday, March 13-16. Belmont is 13-1 all-time at the Ford Center and won four Ohio Valley Conference Tournament titles inside the arena (2022, 2021, 2019, 2018).
Tipoff times for all home games have also been announced.
The winningest program in the state of Tennessee over the last 10 seasons, the Bruins have made six of the last eight NCAA Tournaments and reached the Round of 32 back-to-back years in 2022 and 2021.
Belmont is one of only 10 programs in the nation to have won 20 or more games for nine-straight seasons.
The Bruins have finished either first or second in their conference for nine consecutive years, winning 12 combined championships (regular season and tournament) during that span.
Belmont returns four players who earned MVC honors last season, including 2024 MVC Freshman of the Year
Jailyn Banks, All-MVC selections
Tuti Jones and
Kendal Cheesman and 2023-24 MVC All-Newcomer Team member
Emily La Chapell. Banks was also an All-MVC Third Team pick last year and Jones made the MVC All-Defensive Team.
Talented graduate transfers
Jacee Busick (Charlotte) and
Kendall Holmes (South Dakota) joined the Bruins over the summer, along with freshmen
Hilary Fuller (Brisbane, Australia),
Sanaa Tripp (Covington, Georgia) and
Quinn Eubank (Union, Kentucky).
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
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@BelmontWBB on X, formerly Twitter,
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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
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