Belmont women’s basketball won against the Valparaiso Beacons 67-53 to improve to 4-1 in the Missouri Valley Conference and are now tied for second.
The Bruins got ahead early with 11 first-quarter points from graduate guard Kendall Holmes to help lead the Bruins to a 12-point lead at the end of the first half.
Holmes finished as the Bruins’ leading scorer on the night with 18 points.
Belmont not only distributed the ball well, but it played great defense pressing and forcing the Beacons to take shots late into the shot clock.
While the Beacons came into the second half with renewed energy, the Bruins continued to maintain their lead countering every Beacons bucket with a score of their own.
Sophomore Guard Jailyn Banks led the charge in the second half, pushing the pace and getting to the line going 5-6 in the second half to solidify the Belmont win. Banks finished the night with 16 points.
“We’re in the right place and communicating better and more disciplined with some of the things we’re trying to do defensively,” said head coach Bart Brooks. “That’s going to lead to more success down the road, shooting the ball and making baskets is really important but being able to defend and get stops leads to winning.”
The Bruins will head on the road to face the Drake Bulldogs on Thursday at the Knapp Center.
But they weren’t the only winners Sunday afternoon.
Around the start of the fourth quarter of Belmont’s win Sunday afternoon, a timeout was called and the focus shifted to center court.
The cheerleaders began to line up in front of the basket and the cameras began to focus in as the Belmont emcee stood next to a man in a button-down shirt and jeans.
Luke Smith, a freshman finance and economics major, held a basketball in his hand as the rules were explained to him.
One shot to get a semester of tuition covered.
He spun the ball in his hands.
He jumped, extending his arms toward the basket and released.
The ball hit the backboard and went straight through the net.
“I showed up, and then I was sitting there watching the game, and the lady came over to ask, ‘you want to take the shot?’ And I was like, ‘Yeah I’ll do it.’ And then I was kind of super nervous, and then I just went out there and shot it and drained it,” said Smith.
The Curb Event Center erupted with the crowd screaming as Smith was handed a large check with his name on it to cash in for one semester’s tuition.
“It obviously was a great experience. I'm super grateful that I got selected and that Belmont offers this,” he said.
Smith is the second student this semester to hit the half-court shot.
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This article was written by Braden Simmons
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