Drake Outlasts Belmont, 88-83, in High-Scoring Affair Saturday in the Music City

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Despite scoring 52 points in the second half, including 31 in the fourth quarter alone, the Belmont University women's basketball team was unable to catch up with Drake University in a high-scoring, 88-83 loss late Saturday afternoon inside the Curb Event Center in Nashville. The Bruins (16-9, 11-3) got off to a slow start on both ends of the court for the second consecutive outing and were forced to play catchup for nearly the entirety of the contest. Contrarily, the Bulldogs (17-8, 11-3 MVC) raced out to a 15-point first-quarter lead and held off Belmont late.
 
The 171 combined points make it the fifth-highest scoring women's game in Curb history.
 
Both teams shot remarkably well in the second half with the Bruins going 17-for-33 (51.5 percent) from the field and 9-for-17 (52.9 percent) from beyond the arc. Drake shot 57.6 percent (19-of-33) in the second half and was 7-for-18 (38.9 percent) from distance in nearly matching Belmont's scoring with 50 points.
 
Trailing from the 8:10 mark of the first quarter onward, the Bruins put together two significant scoring runs over the course of the game to claw back within three but couldn't get the one additional stop needed.
 
The Bulldogs were relentless on the glass, outrebounding Belmont 42-27 and holding a 15-6 lead in offensive boards. Drake scored 16 second-chance points, including a key layup with 1:10 remaining following consecutive offensive rebounds.
 
The Bruins were outscored 44-34 in the paint and were hampered by 12-for-18 (66.7 percent) shooting at the free-throw line.

For the fourth time this season, Belmont had five different players score in double figures with all five of the Bruins' starters reaching double digits. Senior forward Kendal Cheesman registered her team-best sixth double-double of the season and 11th of her career with a team-high 19 points and game-high 12 rebounds. She went 5-for-6 from deep and weas 7-for-9 from the floor.
 
Graduate guard Tuti Jones scored 16 points, distributed a team-best five assists and came up with a pair of steals.
 
The Bulldogs needed all 40 minutes and 42 points from starting point guard Katie Dinnebier, who set the Curb single-game scoring record by going 14-for-25 from the field and 9-for-17 from three-point range.

Drake jumped out to a 22-7 lead with 1:45 left in the opening quarter following a 15-2 run. However, Belmont scored the last five points of the first frame to make it 22-12.
 
Junior guard Emily La Chapell scored eight of the Bruins' 12 first-quarter points.
 
A 9-0 Bulldog run within the first three minutes of the second quarter put Drake up 34-15 with 7:22 to go in the half.
 
Graduate guard Jacee Busick and freshman forward Hilary Fuller provided a spark for Belmont off the bench in the second quarter before the Bruins closed the half on a 16-4 run. Holding the Bulldogs without a field goal for the last 5:46 of the half, Belmont climbed back within seven at 38-31 on a layup from La Chapell.

The Bruins outscored Drake 19-16 in the second quarter behind 53.3 percent (8-of-15) shooting.

A triple from graduate guard Kendall Holmes got Belmont within six at 43-37 after 2:22 of play in the second half. Moments later, Jones sank a three-pointer to keep the Bruins within six at 46-40 a little over three-and-a-half minutes into the third quarter.

Sophomore guard Jailyn Banks was able to cut the deficit to five on a conventional three-point play and a pair of free throws from Fuller made it a one-possession game at 48-45 midway through the third quarter. The Bulldogs responded with a three from starting guard Abbie Aalsma and Drake ended the quarter on a 12-3 run to build a 65-52 lead going into the fourth.

Although Belmont shot 50 percent in the third, the Bulldogs were a red-hot 64.7 percent (11-of-17) from the floor in the quarter and connected on four of their eight three-point attempts. Drake outpaced the Bruins 27-21 in the period.
 
The Bulldogs led by as many as 14 with 6:19 to go and held a double-digit lead until the four-minute mark.

Cheesman began to light it up from outside and another old-fashioned three-point play from Banks capped a 13-5 Belmont run and got the Bruins back within six at 76-70 with just over three minutes left. Closing a 9-0 spurt in 1:17 of action, Cheesman knocked down her fourth three to get Belmont back within a single possession at 76-73 with two-and-a-half minutes remaining.

The Bruins forced Drake to use the entire shot clock on its ensuing possession but after the ball was nearly knocked away by Jones, Dinnebier nailed a deep three at the last second. Cheesman responded following a Bulldog foul with a top-of-the-key trey on an inbound play, keeping it a three-point game at 79-76 with 1:49 to go.
 
Belmont was unable to corral a defensive rebound on two missed three-pointers on Drake's next possession and the Bulldogs' Courtney Becker scored on a putback layup to make it 81-76 with 1:10 left. Following a Bruin turnover, Dinnebier hit another three to extend Drake's lead out to eight with only 41 ticks left.

Holmes drew a foul and made both free throws on Belmont's next possession, but down 84-78 the Bruins were forced to send the Bulldogs to the free-throw line. Jones got Belmont back within four at 87-83 with a corner three-pointer with nine seconds remaining, but there wasn't enough time for the Bruins to string together enough possessions.
 
Belmont went 7-for-13 (53.8 percent) from downtown in the fourth quarter and shot 52.6 percent (10-of-19). Cheesman scored 15 of her 19 in the final stanza.

All told, the Bruins went 11-for-24 (45.8 percent) from deep and were 30-for-62 (48.4 percent) overall. Drake shot 49.3 percent (34-of-69) for the game and was 12-for-37 (32.4 percent) from long range.
 
Both Banks and Holmes finished with 12 points, while La Chapell added 10. Fuller tied her career high with eight points in seven minutes on the floor.
 
The Bulldogs also got a game-high eight assists from Dinnebier and Becker notched a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Drake starting forward Anna Miller also reached double figures with 10 points before fouling out.

?? | Postgame with @KendalCheesman and HC @BartABrooks following the Bruins' battle with Drake Saturday at ?????? ???????? ???? pic.twitter.com/a57F25steg

— Belmont WBasketball (@BelmontWBB) February 16, 2025

Of Note

• The loss is only Belmont's 16th in February or March over the last eight seasons.
• The Bruins have been defeated at home in conference play just 14 times since 2012.
• Belmont drops to 2-5 all-time versus the Bulldogs, including 1-2 at the Curb.
• At least four Bruins have scored in double figures in 13 games this season.
• Cheesman has scored in double figures in seven-straight games and is averaging 18.7 points and 9.6 rebounds over her last seven outings.
• Jones has reached double figures in 13 of the last 16 games.

Up Next
Belmont hits the road next week, traveling to Illinois State Thursday and Murray State Sunday, Feb. 23. Tipoff of Thursday night's game is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. from CEFCU Arena in Normal, Illinois. The Missouri Valley Conference road matchup will be broadcast on ESPN+.

Ticket Info
Flex pack plans for the 2024-25 season, along with single-game tickets, are still available.
 
For more information, visit BelmontBruins.com/Tickets or call 615-460-BALL.
 
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.