NASHVILLE, Tenn. – In the 79th edition of the Battle of the Boulevard Wednesday evening, the Belmont University women's basketball team defeated Lipscomb University 80-60 inside the Curb Event Center behind a 48-point first half and five double-figure scorers. Winning their 16th-straight versus the rival Bisons (2-4), the Bruins (3-2) built a 30-point first-half lead and led for all but an even opening two minutes.
A 19-2 scoring run, which included a 17-0 run, in the second quarter set the tone for the remainder of the game and Belmont held off Lipscomb in the second half. The Bisons outpaced the Bruins 40-32 in the second half behind 65.2 percent (15-of-23) shooting, including going 5-for-9 (55.6 percent) from beyond the arc.
Belmont went on an incredible 22-0 run following a 2-2 tie to take a commanding 24-2 lead with two minutes to go in the first quarter.
Fueled by nine early points from sophomore forward
Hilary Fuller, the Bruins led 26-10 after one quarter of play. Belmont connected on 12 of its first 19 shots (63.2 percent).
Free throws from junior guard
Jailyn Banks began the Bruins' 19-2 second-quarter run and sophomore guard
Sanaa Tripp knocked down a three-pointer to make it 44-15 with 1:18 left in the half. Fellow sophomore guard
Quinn Eubank converted her second free throw following a Lipscomb foul down low on Tripp's trey, giving Belmont its largest lead of the evening at 45-15.
Both Fuller and Banks hit jumpers to close out the first two quarters with Fuller finishing the first and Banks putting the Bruins up 48-20 heading into the locker room.
Tripp scored seven points in the second period as Belmont outscored the Bisons 22-10 in the frame.
The Bruins shot 52.8 percent (19-of-36) in the first half with Tripp scoring all 12 of her points across the initial 20 minutes on a perfect 5-for-5 from the field. At the break, Belmont already had 23 points off the bench and 23 points off 14 Lipscomb turnovers.
The Bisons were limited to 28.6 percent (6-of-21) shooting in the first half, including 3-of-13 from distance.
The third quarter, however, was much different.
Lipscomb shot a blistering 68.8 percent in the third, going 11-for-16 from the floor and 3-for-5 from outside en route to outscoring the Bruins 27-19. Belmont was outworked 16-8 in points in the paint as the Bisons committed just four turnovers in the quarter.
After Lipscomb got within 25 early in the third quarter, the Bruins went up by 30 once again twice with a conventional three-point play from Banks and a steal and layup from senior guard
Emily La Chapell. Over the last 4:10 of the third, the Bisons outscored Belmont 17-7 to climb within 20 at 67-47 heading into the final stanza.
With the Bruins not scoring for the first two minutes of the fourth quarter, Lipscomb extended its run to 20-7. Three-pointers by the Bisons' Hope Counts and McKayla Miller got Lipscomb within 17 twice in the fourth but it would be as close as the visitors would get. Graduate guard
Avery Strickland and Banks came up with threes of their own on consecutive Belmont possessions to get the Bruins going in the quarter.
Belmont didn't allow a field goal for the last two minutes of the contest and Fuller capped things with her second triple with 1:42 remaining.
The Bisons went 4-for-7 from the field in the fourth and were 2-for-4 from deep, while the Bruins went 5-for-17 (29.4 percent) overall and were 3-for-12 from long range.
Belmont shot 33.3 percent (11-of-33) in the second half and was 5-for-18 (27.8 percent) from distance.
Forcing 24 turnovers for the second-straight game, the Bruins scored 30 points off Lipscomb's offensive miscues. Belmont earned a season-high 34 points off the bench and outscored the Bisons 36-26 in the paint.
The Bruins were plus-five on the glass (36-31).
Banks and La Chapell both finished with 14 points, while Fuller and Tripp had 12 apiece. Strickland totaled 10 points and graduate guard
Tuti Jones distributed a season-high seven assists to go along with a season-high six steals. Tripp came up with a career-best five steals and Eubank brought down a career-high 12 rebounds.
Lipscomb was paced by Molly Heard's 15 points and five assists and Elena Bertrand's 12 points.
Of Note
- Belmont improves to 15-2 versus the Bisons in the Curb.
- The Bruins move to 53-26 all-time against Lipscomb in the Battle of the Boulevard series, including 30-9 in Belmont's NCAA era.
- Ninth-year head coach Bart Brooks, who won his 201st game Wednesday, is a perfect 8-0 in the Battle of the Boulevard.
- The Bruins have won consecutive games for the first time this season.
- Belmont had five players reach double figures for the second time this fall – six Bruins scored in double figures in the home win over Brown (Nov. 7).
- Both Banks and Fuller have scored in double figures in all five games this season.
Up Next
Belmont heads to the Bahamas next week for the prestigious Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo Championship in Nassau. In the Goombay Division, the Bruins will take on receiving-votes Ohio State in the opening game Monday morning at 10 a.m. CT/11 a.m. ET. Next Wednesday, Belmont will face either top-25 ranked West Virginia or McNeese State. The winner of Monday's game will play at 12:30 p.m. CT/1:30 p.m. ET Wednesday afternoon in the Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo Championship Goombay Division championship game, while the consolation game is scheduled for 10 a.m. CT/11 a.m. ET Wednesday. Both games will be played inside the Baha Mar Convention, Arts & Entertainment Center and will be broadcast live on
FloHoops (a subscription is required).
Season Tickets
Season tickets, which include all Belmont women's and men's basketball home games, are on sale now and can be purchased by visiting
BelmontBruins.com/Tickets or calling 615-460-BALL. Flex pack plans for the 2025-26 season are also on sale and can be purchased
here.
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