Blue Raiders Fall 65-52 at Belmont in Mid-State Clash

Saturday, December 7

Nashville, Tenn.

12 p.m.

Middle Tennessee

7-3,0-0CUSA

Belmont

5-4,0-0MVC

Middle Tenn.

Belmont

12/7/2024 4:12:00 PM | Women's Basketball

Box Score Photo Gallery

Middle Tennessee moves to 7-3 on the season with loss in Nashville

By: Zach Brown, MTSU Athletic Communications

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – In a battle of in-state foes, the Belmont Bruins (5-4) outlasted the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders (7-3) for the second consecutive season in a 65-52 win at the Curb Event Center in Nashville, Tenn.

The game opened as a back-and-forth scoring affair through the first nine and a half minutes of the first quarter, with both teams shooting well from the floor and the Bruins controlling a narrow two-point lead. Belmont would add five more to their tally before the end of the quarter with a three-pointer from Kendal Cheesman and a layup from Kendall Holmes, taking a 22-15 lead into the second quarter.

Despite facing a deficit as large as 13 at the 5:24 mark of the second period, the Blue Raiders battled their way back into the game down the stretch of the first half, cutting the lead to five, 33-28, heading into the halftime break behind a big three from Ta'Mia Scott with1:31 remaining, three of her 11 first half points.

The Blue Raiders kept within striking distance in the third quarter, as the Bruins would continue to control a six-point lead heading into the fourth. Jalynn Gregory scored eight of her 15 points in the third quarter, including a two three-pointers.

In what seemed to be the difference in the game, Belmont outscored Middle Tennessee 20-13 in the fourth quarter behind four three-point field goals over the final 3:16 of the game, closing out a 65-52 win on their home floor.

Scott and Gregory led the Blue Raiders with 15 points each with Scott shooting 50% from the floor and Gregory knocking down a pair of triples in the second half. Middle Tennessee's leading rebounder, Anastasiia Boldyreva, led all players with 12 rebounds, including 11 on the defensive end.

By the Numbers
40.7: Belmont shot 40.7%, 11-27, from beyond the arc, including a 6-11 performance from Cheesman.
25 and 15: The Bruins recorded 15 assists on 25 total made field goals.
12: Boldyreva led all rebounders with 12, 11 coming on the defensive end, her second-highest total of the season.

Thoughts from Head Coach Rick Insell
"We played hard at times, but in games like this, you can't play hard at times, you have to play though defense the whole game. We didn't do that. They two players, one had 26 and the other had 18."
"We didn't get into our scouting report. We just didn't do a good enough job. Our two posts shot 3-17. You can't win game doing that. We got outrebounded again, and that's not like us."

Blue Raider Notes
Belmont wins their second straight contest over Middle Tennessee, defeating the Blue Raiders 71-57 a season ago. The all-time series between the two programs now moves to 17-5 in favor of MTSU.

Up Next
Following their tilt in Nashville, a trip to St. Joseph's, Mo., and a matchup against the No. 13 Kansas State Wildcats looms on deck next for the Blue Raiders on Saturday, Dec. 14 at 5 P.M. at St. Joseph's Civic Arena.

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