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Hilary_Fuller_vs_Evansville2025
Megan Veldman
67
Evansville Evans 2-9,0-1 MVC
77
Winner Belmont BEL 5-6,1-0 MVC
Evansville Evans
2-9,0-1 MVC
67
Final
77
Belmont BEL
5-6,1-0 MVC
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Evansville Evans 15 21 8 23 67
Belmont BEL 15 17 22 23 77

Game Recap: Women's Basketball |

Bruins Outlast Evansville, 77-67, in MVC Opener at the Curb

Belmont Outscores Purple Aces 22-8 in Third Quarter for 10th-Straight Conference Opening Win

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Behind a 22-8 third quarter, four double-figure scorers and near-50 percent shooting, the Belmont University women's basketball team won its 10th consecutive conference opener with a 77-67 victory over visiting Evansville Wednesday night inside the Curb Event Center. The Bruins (5-6, 1-0 MVC) dominated the paint and shot a season-high 49.1 percent (27-of-55) from the field to begin Missouri Valley Conference play, leading the Purple Aces (2-9, 0-1 MVC) by as much as 16 early in the fourth quarter.
 
Trailing for only a little over six minutes of the contest, Belmont used an 11-0 scoring run across the end of the third quarter and the beginning of the fourth to take control of the game.
 
The Bruins outscored Evansville 42-18 in the paint and outrebounded the Purple Aces 41-36. Belmont also got 18 points off 16 Evansville turnovers.
 
Going 7-for-8 at the free-throw line, sophomore forward Hilary Fuller scored a career-high 19 points, while graduate guard Tuti Jones went 3-for-6 from beyond the arc for 13 points, in addition to distributing a team-best five assists and tallying a game-high four steals.
 
Sophomore guard Quinn Eubank nearly notched a double-double with 11 points and a game-best eight rebounds. Also reaching double figures, graduate guard Avery Strickland provided 12 points on 6-for-10 shooting and five boards.
 
Junior center KK Brodie posted a season-high nine points on 4-for-6 shooting and sophomore guard Sanaa Tripp finished with eight points and a trio of steals.
 
After being down 36-32 at halftime, the Bruins outpaced the Purple Aces 45-31 in the second half. Fuller scored 15 of her 19 points in the second half and Belmont knocked down 17 of its 21 second-half free throws (81 percent).
 
The Bruins held Evansville to just 29.4 percent shooting and only 10 made field goals (10-of-34) across the second 20 minutes of play. Six of the Purple Aces' 10 second-half baskets were three-pointers.
 
Fuller scored the first four points of the game and the first four points of the second half.
 
Three-pointers by Tripp and freshman guard Kate McGinnis gave Belmont a 15-8 lead six-and-a-half minutes in, but Evansville closed the first quarter on a 7-0 run as the score was even at 15 after the first period. Strickland put the Bruins up 21-17 a little over two minutes into the second quarter but it would be Belmont's largest lead until midway through the third quarter. After the Purple Aces outscored the Bruins 14-6 over a five-minute stretch, Belmont found itself trailing 31-27.
 
Jones connected on a three to keep the Bruins engaged with 1:45 to go in the first half, but Evansville's Sydney Huber matched Jones' jumper before the break. The Purple Aces outscored Belmont 21-17 in the second quarter to take a four-point lead into the locker room. Strickland accounted for eight of the Bruins' 17 second-quarter points.
 
Although trailing, Belmont shot 50 percent (14-of-28) in the first half after going 8-for-13 (61.5 percent) in the second stanza.
 
Knotted up at 38 a little over two minutes into the second half, the Bruins proceeded to go on a 16-6 scoring run over the last 6:32 of the third quarter. A driving layup from Strickland and another Jones three gave Belmont a 49-40 lead with three minutes to go in the quarter. Free throws from Eubank and Tripp pushed the Bruins' lead out to 10 at 54-44 heading into the final period. Backed by eight points from Fuller and six points from Eubank, Belmont went 9-for-10 at the charity stripe in the third.
 
Fuller capped the Bruins' 11-0 run with a layup with 7:17 remaining, stretching Belmont's lead out to 60-44. However, Evansville chipped away at the deficit and climbed back within seven after a 14-5 run over the ensuing five minutes of action. The Purple Aces' Camryn Runner knocked down two free throws to make it 65-58 with 2:17 left.
 
The Bruins responded with a Fuller layup and Jones put the game out of reach with her third triple making it 74-61 with just 33.5 seconds to go. Belmont made five free throws in the closing 1:15. Both teams scored 23 points in the fourth quarter with the Bruins shooting 50 percent (7-of-14) and going 8-for-11 at the foul line.
 
Belmont outscored Evansville 22-6 in the paint in the second half and outrebounded the Purple Aces 24-17.
 
Evansville was led by starting guard Logan Luebbers Palmer, who totaled 18 points. The Purple Aces also got 16 points, a game-high six assists and seven rebounds from fellow starting guard Runner. 
 
Of Note
  • The Bruins came up with 12 steals, marking their sixth game this season recording double-digit steals.
  • Belmont improves to 7-2 all-time versus Evansville, including 7-0 since joining the MVC.
  • Ninth-year head coach Bart Brooks is a perfect 9-0 in conference openers.
  • Reigning MVC and Tennessee Sports Writers Association (TSWA) Player of the Week Jones has scored in double figures in three-straight games and five of her last six outings.
  • Jones is only 21 steals away from setting the Bruins' all-time career steals record (404).
  • Fuller has reached double-figure scoring a team-best eight times this season.
  • McGinnis scored a career-high five points.
Up Next
Belmont closes out its four-game homestand and the non-conference portion of its regular season with the Atlantic Coast Conference's Duke Saturday afternoon at the Curb. Tipoff from the Music City is set for 2 p.m. The Bruins' last game before Christmas 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
 
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