Belmont Wins 2022 OVC Women's Basketball Championship Presented by TicketSmarter

3/5/2022 9:28:35 AM

#1 BELMONT 51, #2 TENNESSEE TECH 29
EVANSVILLE, Ind. - Behind one of the greatest defensive performances in program and conference history, the top-seeded Belmont University women's basketball team defeated second-seeded Tennessee Tech 51-29 Saturday afternoon to win the 2022 Ohio Valley Conference Championship title. The Bruins (22-7) earn their seventh NCAA Tournament bid, sixth in the last seven years (2007, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022).

Belmont, who entered championship play Saturday among national leaders in scoring defense, rode versatile, relentless and awe-inspiring defense, limiting the Golden Eagles (20-10) to 9-of-52 shooting (17.3 percent) while forcing 17 turnovers.

Meanwhile, the Bruins got a game-high 22 points from Destinee Wells, who was named OVC Championship MVP for the second consecutive season.

Belmont led by as much as 25 late in the fourth quarter after pulling away from Tennessee Tech midway through the third. After trailing by two early in the second half, the Bruins closed the game on a 34-10 run across the final 19:22 of play.

Collecting 22 points in the paint, Belmont assisted on 11 of its 22 made field goals and shot 56 percent (14-of-25) in the second half. Wells scored 16 of her 22 points in the second half and the Bruins went 5-for-10 from outside.

Eight different Belmont players scored in the championship affair and the Bruins notched eight blocks led by junior guard Nikki Baird's career-high three stuffs.

Closing the opening quarter on an 8-0 run to take a 12-7 lead, Belmont overcame a slow offensive start for both squads. There were just four combined points through the first four-and-a-half minutes of action.

Back-to-back Wells three-pointers gave Belmont a seven-point lead with 6:35 left in the third quarter as the floodgates began to open.

Blair Schoenwald added consecutive 3-pointers in a 73-second span late in the quarter as the Bruins extended to a 38-24 lead.

The staggering defense continued, as Belmont nearly held Tennessee Tech scoreless the entire final 10 minutes, scoring the first 13 points of the fourth quarter before a Golden Eagles 3-pointer with 12 seconds left.

Madison Bartley had six points and nine rebounds.

Belmont's seniors have a record of 91-29.

Belmont, which defeated Gonzaga in the 2021 NCAA Tournament, will learn of its seed, opponent and site of competition Sunday, March 13.

2022 OVC Women's Basketball Championship Presented by TicketSmarter All-Tournament Team
Katelyn Young, Murray State
Anna Walker, Tennessee Tech
Anna Jones, Tennessee Tech
Madison Bartley, Belmont
Destinee Wells, Belmont (MVP)