NASSAU, Bahamas – Despite a 35-32 halftime lead, the Belmont University women's basketball team was defeated 76-66 by McNeese State University midday Wednesday in the 2025 Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo Championship Goombay Division consolation game. The Bruins (3-4) were outscored 44-31 by the Cowgirls (4-2) in the second half inside the Baha Mar Convention, Arts & Entertainment Center in Nassau, Bahamas.
Belmont hit 10 three-pointers on the day, including seven in the first half, but was haunted by 27.6 percent (8-of-29) shooting in the second half. The Bruins connected on just three of their 16 second-half three-point attempts as McNeese State shot 26 second-half free-throws and sunk 21 of them (80.8 percent).
A basket from junior guard
Jailyn Banks put Belmont up 37-32 30 seconds into the second half before the Cowgirls went on a 13-3 run over the ensuing seven minutes of play. After the Bruins led by six with 30 seconds to go in the first half, McNeese State led from the 5:10 mark of the third quarter onward.
Belmont was outscored 20-11 in the third period with the Cowgirls tallying eight points off seven Bruin turnovers.
Trailing 52-46 heading into the fourth quarter, Belmont was unable to get any closer than five in the last five minutes. Neither team scored for the first 2:15 of the final quarter before McNeese State's Lexi Alexander got to the free-throw line. A trio of Banks free-throws made it a five-point game at 54-49 with 7:17 remaining.
Although the Bruins got a stop on the Cowgirls' next possession and grabbed two offensive rebounds on their subsequent possession, Belmont was unable to hit a shot to trim the lead under five. Graduate guard
Tuti Jones made a contested fadeaway off an offensive board to make it a six-point affair at 57-51 with 5:44 left, but four-straight McNeese State free-throws pushed the Cowgirls' lead out to 10.
Graduate guard
Avery Strickland splashed in a three-pointer with 3:39 to go, getting the Bruins within seven at 61-54. However, Belmont was unable to get a stop on the other end of the court.
Two more Banks free-throws kept the Bruins within seven at 63-56 with two-and-a-half minutes remaining, but once again McNeese State answered with a bucket by forward Dakota Howard. Jones gave Belmont one last glimmer of hope with two minutes left, hitting a triple to make it 65-59. Unable to get a steal, the Bruins were forced to foul the rest of the way.
Going 17-for-20 (85 percent) at the foul line in the fourth quarter, the Cowgirls made 11 of 14 free throws in the closing two minutes.
Belmont went 4-for-19 (21.1 percent) from the field in the final stanza and was 3-for-13 (23.1 percent) from beyond the arc.
Strickland (8), Jones (7) and Banks (5) accounted for all of the Bruins' 20 fourth-quarter points.
McNeese State shot 40.4 percent (21-of-52) for the game and finished 27-of-34 (79.4 percent) at the free-throw line.
Belmont made just 19 field goals on 37.3 percent (19-of-51) shooting but assisted on 16 of its 19 makes. The Bruins went 10-for-31 (32.3 percent) from distance and were 18-for-24 (75 percent) at the charity stripe.
Belmont got only three points off its bench and was outrebounded 36-30.
The Cowgirls outscored the Bruins 24-18 in the paint.
Belmont started hot, shooting 54.5 (6-of-11) percent in the opening quarter and going 5-for-8 (62.5 percent) from deep. For the first half, the Bruins were 11-for-22 from the floor and 7-for-15 (46.7 percent) from outside.
Banks scored a game-best 20 points, 11 of which came in the second half, and dished out a season-high seven assists. Strickland posted a career-high 19 points on 4-for-10 shooting from three-point range. Jones was once again outstanding with 16 points on 5-for-7 shooting, including going 4-for-6 from long range, four steals and a trio of assists.
McNeese State had four players score in double figures led by Jalencia Pierre's 17 points on 7-for-9 shooting and four assists. The Cowgirls' also got 14 points and seven rebounds from Alexander, 14 points, six boards and two steals from Arianna Patton, and 12 points from Howard.
After averaging 17.5 points on 57.9 percent (11-of-19) shooting, including 61.5 percent (8-of-13) from distance, 4.5 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 2.5 assists in Belmont's two games in the Bahamas, Jones was named to the 2025 Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo Championship Goombay Division All-Tournament Team.
2025 Baha Mar Hoops Pink Flamingo Championship Goombay Division All-Tournament Team
Jaloni Cambridge, Ohio State - MVP
Chance Gray, Ohio State
Gia Cooke, West Virginia
Arianna Patton, McNeese State
Tuti Jones, Belmont
Of Note
- Wednesday was the first-ever meeting between the Bruins and McNeese State.
- The loss is Belmont's first this season against a team not receiving votes in both national polls.
- The Bruins fall to 12-6 all-time versus current Southland Conference members.
Up Next
Belmont returns to the states later this week and travels to Middle Tennessee next Wednesday for a night matchup with the Blue Raiders. Tipoff from the Murphy Center in Murfreesboro is slated for 6:30 p.m. The road game will be broadcast on
ESPN+.
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.
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
