THURSDAY'S SCORES
@Belmont 85, Georgia State 62
BELMONT 85, GEORGIA STATE 62
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - It was a total team effort that secured a convincing win for the Belmont women's basketball team (5-5) over visiting Georgia State (5-2) on Thursday afternoon. The Bruins handed the Panthers only their second loss of the season, picking up the 85-62 win.
Georgia State opened the contest with a quick 4-0 lead before junior Molly Ernst (Louisville, Ky.) drilled a triple from the right side of the arc barely two minutes in. Current OVC Newcomer of the Week senior Jordan Coleman (Orlando, Fla.) and classmate Katie Brooks (Maryville, Tenn.) netted back to back lay-ins to give BU an early 7-4 lead. GSU gained its first and only lead of the contest on the next possession that was incredibly short lived after sophomore Torie Vaught (Maryville, Tenn.) hit a jumper in the lane and Ernst knocked down her second trey of the afternoon.
Redshirt sophomore Jordyn Luffman's (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) first points as a Bruin put Belmont on top 14-10 and forced the Panther bench to burn a timeout with 14:16 on the clock. GSU hustled after the brief break to knot the game at 14 but Belmont surged again behind a pair at the line by redshirt freshman Blair Bryce (Red Oak, Texas) and a tip-in by sophomore Torie Vaught (Maryville, Tenn.)
BU went on to build a 12-point lead, 26-14, in the midst of a Georgia State icy spell that lasted almost five minutes by the eight and a half minute mark. GSU finally got back into the game around the six minute mark of the half and by the 3:30 mark had cut Belmont's lead back down to 10, 35-25. The Panthers continued working and moved to within single digits, 37-31, for the first time since the opening minutes before the Bruins regained their hold on the contest. Buckets by Vaught and a pair at the line by Coleman put BU back on top by double digits, 42-31, just before the teams headed to the locker rooms.
After the break, GSU immediately hustled to close the gap and found itself within three, 48-45, with14:06 remaining in regulation. However, the Bruins remained composed despite the offensive threat. A trey by Vaught opened up a 16-2 run, punctuated by three consecutive three pointers by Ernst, that expanded Belmont's lead to 17, 64-47 with just over nine minutes remaining in the game.
The Panthers continued to be plagued by spotty shooting down the stretch, netting one field-goal over a nine minute span, despite excelling at the free-throw line. The wind seemed to be completely taken out of their sails after back-to-back technicals on the GSU bench resulted in the head coach being ejected from the game. Even with considerable clock and tempo control, BU pulled away by 27, 80-53, with just 3:45 remaining. The Panthers continued to find the bottom of the net in the waning minutes but it was too little too late as the Bruins held on for the 85-62 win.
Georgia State holds a slim advantage in the all-time series with the loss, 6-5. The contest also marks the only the second time in the Ezell era a team has tallied 85 or more points in a victory.
Georgia State shot 39.6 percent from the floor, and icy 16.7 percent from long distance and 71 percent from the free-throw line. The Panthers held the slim advantage in rebounds, 35-34, blocks, 4-3, and steals, 8-4.
GSU had three players reach double figures, led by Kayla Nolan's 13 points. Kendra Long and Maryam Dogo each added 10. Dogo and Cody Paulk led the team in rebounds, grabbing eight apiece.
Belmont shot 46.8 percent from the hardwood, a season-best 60 percent from behind the three-point arc and 81.8 percent from the charity stripe. BU held the advantage in assists, 15-9. Belmont also forced 19 GSU turnovers for 25 points.
Ernst led the Bruins with a season and game-high 23 points on a career-high seven three pointers. Vaught notched a career-high 17 points. Coleman pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds and was one point shy of collecting a double-double. In her debut as a Bruin, Luffman contributed eight points and grabbed six boards. Brooks finished with a game-high six assists.
Belmont returns to action on Sunday with a matchup at Ole Miss. Tip-off is slated for 2 p.m.