Strong Second Half Leads Belmont Past Women’s Basketball

Monday, January 14

CFSB Center

7 p.m.

Murray State

9-7, 2-3OVC

Belmont

10-8, 5-1OVC

Belmont

Murray State

Photo by: Ricky Martin/Ledger & Times

Strong Second Half Leads Belmont Past Women’s Basketball

1/14/2013 10:07:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score

| Box Score (PDF) | Season Stats (PDF)

Belmont outscored the Murray State women's basketball team by 13 in the second half on Monday night to rally from a four-point halftime deficit and leave the CFSB Center with a 59-50 win.

The first half went the Racer's way, as they battled back from an early deficit, taking the lead with 16:08 to play and never giving it back for the remainder of the stanza. Murray State (9-7, 2-3) went on to lead by as many as six in the half and took a four-point lead into the locker room at the break.

However, the second half, undoubtedly, belonged to the Bruins. Murray State led by as many 12 in the opening minutes of the half, but the Bruins did not give in. Belmont steadily chipped away at the lead for most of the half, until finally re-taking the lead with 5:44 to play and never relinquishing it.

After not going to the foul line a single time in the first half, Belmont (10-8, 5-1) went to the line 22 times in the second, making 20. The Bruins did not a miss a free throw in the game until there were just 44 seconds left in the contest.

Another factor in the game was the second half shooting of the Racers. Murray State was 6-of-29 in the stanza and made just two field goals in the final 13 minutes of the game. While the MSU defense did limit the Bruins to an OVC season-low 34.6 percent from the floor, the Racers themselves shot an overall season-low of 25.4 percent.

Senior Tessa Elkins posted 10 points and 10 rebounds for her second straight double-double and fourth-straight double-digit scoring performance. Freshman Erika Sisk also had a good night, leading all scorers with 14 points.

Katie Carroll led the Bruins in the game with 13 points, while Katie Brooks and Alyssa Visbeen followed with 10 each. Jordyn Luffman was two points shy of her own double-double for Belmont, as she had eight points and 10 rebounds.

On Saturday fans are asked to “Pink Out” The Bank for the women's and men's doubleheader against SIU Edwardsville in an effort to raise awareness in the fight against breast cancer. Tip-off for the women is scheduled for 5 p.m., with the men's game to immediately follow.