MONDAY'S SCORES
@Belmont 59, Morehead State 45
@UT Martin 75, Eastern Kentucky 60
Southeast Missouri 69, @Austin Peay 51
Tennessee Tech 71, @Tennessee State 68
BELMONT 59, MOREHEAD STATE 45
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -
The Belmont women's basketball team (14-10, 9-3 OVC) used a strong second half performance to pick up its second win of the season over Morehead State (8-16, 4-6 OVC) on Monday night at the Curb Event Center. The Bruins outscored the Eagles, 30-14, in the second half en route to their 59-45 victory. The win improves BU to 9-3 in the OVC and puts the team back in first place in the East Division.
The teams immediately began trading baskets to open the first half, until the Bruins briefly pulled away, 10-5, behind jumpers by seniors Katie Brooks (Maryville, Tenn.) and Alyssa Visbeen (Franklin, Tenn.) with 14:45 remaining on the clock. Morehead State quickly got back into the game and by the 12 minute mark had knotted the score at 13. The Bruins dug in their heels and pulled ahead again, 22-16, after two layups and two free throws by sophomore Adrienne Tarrence (Bowling Green, Ky.) and a trey by junior Molly Ernst (Louisville, Ky.) five minutes later.
Another triple by Ernst expanded BU's lead to six, 26-20, with just under four minutes left before the break. Mackenzie Arledge netted a three and the team followed with a pair at the line to inch within one before Ernst rainbowed another trifecta to put more distance between the teams two minutes later. MSU went on to complete a three-point play to close the gap to one point again, 29-28, with less than 30 seconds left. The Eagles looked to hold for the final shot of the half and called timeout and went on to drill a three pointer at the buzzer to take a slim, 31-29, lead into the locker room.
After the break, the Bruins immediately went to work with senior Jordan Coleman (Orlando, Fla.) netting a jumper in the paint to knot the score at 31 barely 10 seconds in. Brooks followed with her trademark jumper from the top of the key to put BU back on top. The Eagles fell silent from the floor for the first six minutes of the second stanza as Belmont turned up the defensive heat. The Bruins continued to pile on the points, putting together an 8-0 run to go up 37-31 over the same span.
Suddenly, the Bruins found their offensive rhythm for nearly five minutes. However, their intense defensive effort continued to keep Morehead State from adding to their point tally during the same stretch. Slowly, the Eagles attempted to emerge from their ill-paced scoring drives but continued to struggle against the Bruin defense and could only move as close as five, 42-37, with 7:42 remaining.
Two minutes later, Visbeen skyhooked in a heavily contested shot to put BU on top by nine, 46-37, before MSU used a pair of three pointers to move within five again with just over four minutes left on the clock.
As time ticked into its final three minutes of regulation, the Bruins combined their strong clock management skills with tough defense to secure its season series sweep. BU kept Morehead State from scoring for the final four minutes of the contest as it closed the game on a 9-0 run, cementing the 59-45 win.
Morehead State shot 29.2 percent from the floor, 35 percent from three-point range and 83.3 percent from the free-throw line. The Eagles held the advantage in steals, 8-3.
MSU was led in scoring by Terrice Robinson, who netted a game-high 21 points. Mackenzie Arledge also reached double digits, adding 12.
Belmont shot 39.3 percent from the hardwood, 30.8 percent from behind the three-point arc and 64.7 percent from the charity stripe. The Bruins held the advantage in rebounds, 44-29, assists, 15-9, and blocks, 7-4.
Four Bruins reached double digits in scoring, led by Tarrence, who netted a career-high 15 points. Visbeen, Ernst, and Brooks rounded out the double digit scorers with, 13, 12, and 11 points, respectively. Coleman pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds and narrowly missed a double-double with eight points. She also matched her career-high of seven rebounds. Redshirt freshman Blair Bryce (Red Oak, Texas) matched her career-high of three blocks.
UT MARTIN 75, EASTERN KENTUCKY 60
MARTIN, Tenn. - It took junior guard Heather Butler almost the entire first half to knock down a 3-pointer, but when she connected for the trey with 3:36 it did two things – it tied the game at 22-all and took the pressure off the Gibson County native who opened the game against Eastern Kentucky at the Kathleen and Tom Elam Center 0-for-7 from behind the arc.
Butler finished the game with 24 points. She was 2-for-11 from 3-point range as The University of Tennessee at Martin women’s basketball team posted a 75-60 victory over Eastern Kentucky. With the victory the Skyhawks improved to 11-13 overall and 6-4 in the Ohio Valley Conference West Division. Eastern Kentucky falls to 13-7 on the year and 7-3 in the OVC East.
That first 3-pointer of the game marked an end to Butler’s shooting woes. She was 0-for-11 from the field before the trey.
With that lone first-half 3-pointer, Butler set a new NCAA record for the most consecutive games scoring a trey (70). She finished the game with 24 points, two 3-pointers and she was 8-for-24 from the field.
Junior Jasmine Newsome could not let Butler show her up. So Newsome broke a record too. She had nine assists in the game and led all scorers with 27 points. She made 15-of-16 from the free-throw line.
With the nine assists, Newsome became UT Martin’s all-time assists leader. She has 464 career assists and passed UT Martin Hall of Famer Gwen Long who had 458 assists.
The Skyhawks led for most of the first half, but Eastern Kentucky would not go away. Butler’s 3-pointer knotted the game at 22-all. However the Skyhawks went on a 9-2 run to close out the first half.
Eastern Kentucky stayed close in the second half, but the combination of Butler and Newsome with some help from senior Rickiesha Bryant led to the Lady Colonels’ demise. Marie Carpenter prolonged the defeat by making five 3-pointers. She finished the game with 17 points.
Bryant scored 12 points and pulled down eight rebounds.
Eastern Kentucky out-rebounded UT Martin 44-33.
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI 69, AUSTIN PEAY 51
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Freshman Kara Wright erupted for a career-high 23 points and lifted the Southeast Missouri women's basketball team to a decisive 69-51 win at Austin Peay on Monday night.
The Redhawks (9-14, 3-7 Ohio Valley) snapped a six-game losing streak and secured their first season sweep of the Lady Govs (6-15, 1-9 OVC) since the 2007-08 season. This was Southeast's first win in Clarksville since Jan. 12, 2008.
Southeast opened the game with baskets by Bailie Roberts and Wright, but the lead was short lived. APSU countered with a Shira Buley score and a Meghan Bussabarger three-pointer to grab a 5-4 lead three minutes in. After a media timeout, the Lady Govs got two free throws from Buley and two Kaitlyn Hill baskets to extend the run to 11-0 and grab an 11-4 lead.
Dru Haertling's three-pointer ended the Redhawks' 6:22 scoring drought and pulled Southeast within 11-7 with under 12 minutes left in the frame. The Redhawks clawed back to within two after Brittany Harriel hit a jumper from the elbow on the next possession.
Baskets from Hill and Alexis Hardaway bumped the APSU lead back to six, though Southeast eventually pulled within two again after Patricia Mack's jumper cut the gap to 18-16 with seven and a half left in the opening stanza.
After a Hill basket, Southeast cut the deficit to 20-19 after Harriel hit a free throw and Haertling hit Olivia Hackmann for a layup on the break after a steal. Tiasha Gray answered with a contested jumper to make it 22-19 at the five minute mark. From there, Haertling dished the ball to Mack for another baseline jumper and hit a go ahead three-pointer a minute later to give the Redhawks a 24-22 halftime lead. Southeast outscored APSU 8-2 in the final 7:22 of the half.
Southeast came out of the locker room on fire from the outside. Roberts, Wright and Harriel hit three-pointers on consecutive possessions as the Redhawks ballooned their lead to 33-22 with 17:42 left.
After a timeout, APSU got hoops from Shelby Olszewski and Gray to pull within seven points. Southeast moved the lead back to double digits after Wright split a pair of free throws and Harriel hit two more from the charity stripe with under 14 minutes left to play.
A Gray three-pointer drew the Lady Govs to 36-29 with 13:40 to play. Two minutes later, Wright got to the basket and made a layup through a foul. She completed the and-one to extend the Redhawks' lead to 39-29 with just over 11 minutes left.
After an APSU bucket and a stop, Wright got a steal and scored in transition to make it 41-31. On the next possession, Harriel hit two free throws, giving the Redhawks a 43-31 lead with under 10 minutes left.
The Lady Govs pulled within two points twice, both on two Leslie Martinez free throws. That comeback attempt was put to bed shortly thereafter as Roberts and Allyson Bradshaw drained back-to-back threes. After a timeout, Southeast Wright got to the basket for a layup to make it 53-37 with five and a half minutes remaining.
With the Redhawks up by 15, the Ladys Govs forced three-straight turnovers and converted them into five points to pull within 55-45 with 3:01 left. Harriel made two free throws, which were created by her offensive rebound. APSU did not get any closer the rest of the way as Southeast hit 12-straight free throws to secure the win, leading by as many as 20 points.
The Redhawks shot 40 percent from the field, including 50 percent in the second, while making 8-of-24 (33.3 percent) three-pointers and 21-of-24 (87.5 percent) free throws. The Lady Govs were held to 32.3 percent shooting (3-of-17 from deep) and went 8-of-11 at the charity stripe. Southeast enjoyed a 38-36 advantage on the glass and forced 19 APSU turnovers against 17 of its own.
Wright tallied a career-high 23 points, the second time in three games she scored over 20. She made 7-of-12 field goal attempts and went 8-of-10 at the line. Harriel and Roberts were also in double figures, chipping in 12 apiece. Harriel tied Mack for the game high with nine rebounds.
Gray led the Lady Govs with 12 points while Leslie Martinez chipped in 10.
TENNESSEE TECH 71, TENNESSEE STATE 68
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - TheTennessee State women's basketball team overcame a 15 point halftime deficit, but couldn't close the deal as Tennessee Tech prevailed in overtime 71-68 at the Gentry Center on Monday night.
Senior Simone Hopes led all players with 23 points, while fellow senior Kesi Hess added 19.
The Golden Eagles (13-10, 7-3 OVC) led the entire first half from their opening possession on a Candace Parson layup, her only points on the night.
TSU (8-12, 4-5 OVC) went cold from the field during the second 10 minutes as they missed 13 of their final 14 shots of the half and were held scoreless over the final 6:20 of the half. They shot only 20 percent from the field over the first 20 minutes.
The Golden Eagles capped off the half on a 15-3 run to take a 29-14 lead into the locker room.
The Big Blue picked up the pressure on defense with a full court press and played a much faster pace offensively coming out of halftime. TSU equaled their first half output in the first 4:09 of the second half as they scored on six of their first seven second half possessions to cut the 15 point deficit down to eight.
TSU tied the game and held their first lead of the contest with 10:17 remaining in regulation after Alana Morris knocked down a pair of free throws to give the Lady Tigers the 44-43 edge.
The lead changed hands eight times over the final 10 minutes with neither team holding more than a two point lead over the final 9:16.
Jala Harris of Tennessee Tech hit a jumper with 10 seconds left to force overtime at 58 apiece. Harris led Tech with 19 points and six assists.
Hopes and Hess combined for all 10 of TSU's overtime points and a Hopes jumper with 10 second left tied the game for the eighth time at 68. The game winner came from the most unlikely of sources as Kellie Cook drained a three from the right wing with four second left. It was Cook's only shot attempt and point of the night.
A Jasmin Shuler three at the buzzer fell short as TSU shot 0-of-13 from beyond the arc. The Golden Eagles hit all five of their shots in overtime.
The last overtime game for TSU was an 86-80 home win vs. Morehead State on Jan. 19, 2012.
TSU has lost seven in a row to Tennessee Tech with their last win vs. the Golden Eagles coming on Jan. 24, 2009.