The Belmont University women’s basketball team suffered a narrow 51-47 defeat against Bradley University on Sunday afternoon in Peoria, Illinois. The loss marks the Bruins’ second consecutive setback in Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) road play. Belmont now holds a 16-11 overall record and is 12-4 in conference action, while Bradley improves to 19-9 overall and 12-5 in the MVC.
Belmont struggled offensively, shooting just 28 percent from the field and committing 17 turnovers. Their total of 14 made field goals was their lowest for any game this season. Despite these challenges, the Bruins remained competitive late into the contest.
With less than 90 seconds remaining and trailing by two points at 49-47, Belmont had several opportunities to tie or take the lead. Attempts from three-point range by Sanaa Tripp and Tuti Jones were unsuccessful, and Jailyn Banks’ jumper was blocked with under ten seconds left.
Banks drew a foul after making a steal near midcourt with just over a minute left but missed her second free throw attempt. Quinn Eubank grabbed an offensive rebound to keep Belmont’s hopes alive. Following a missed layup by Bradley’s Tamia Perryman, Jones had another chance from outside but could not convert.
After Amy O’Hara blocked Banks’ shot and Maya Foz secured the rebound for Bradley, Kaylen Nelson went one-for-two at the free throw line to extend Bradley’s lead to three points with four seconds left. Banks attempted a game-tying three-pointer with just over one second remaining but missed. After an official review regarding possession and time remaining, Bradley was awarded the ball with only 0.7 seconds on the clock.
Perryman sealed the win for Bradley by making her second free throw with less than half a second remaining.
Bradley led by as many as nine points early in the fourth quarter and capitalized on Belmont’s mistakes by scoring 15 points off turnovers and outscoring them in the paint, 30-18. However, Belmont held an edge on rebounds (39-35) and recorded double-digit steals for the twelfth time this season.
The Bruins started strong defensively, holding Bradley scoreless for more than four minutes to open play and leading after one quarter. However, they struggled offensively in the second period—managing only one basket—as Bradley went on an extended run that put them ahead at halftime.
In individual performances, Jailyn Banks led Belmont with 11 points—nine coming after halftime—and Avery Strickland added ten points. Eubank pulled down nine rebounds along with nine points; Jones collected eight rebounds and five steals.
For Bradley, Kaylen Nelson finished with a game-high of 19 points plus eight rebounds; Maya Foz contributed eleven points and six boards.
This defeat is Belmont’s first against Bradley since joining their current conference schedule (now holding a record of five wins against one loss). Under head coach Bart Brooks’ leadership over nine seasons, Belmont has lost only twenty-one games during February or March (96 wins). Since joining conference play in 2012–13, they have posted an .820 winning percentage (201 wins).
Jailyn Banks has scored double figures in eighteen of nineteen appearances this season; Strickland has reached double digits in all but four MVC contests.
Belmont will return home next weekend to host Indiana State for senior day at Curb Event Center; tipoff is scheduled for Saturday at 4 p.m., with recognition planned for Claire Hyde, Tuti Jones, Emily La Chapell, and Avery Strickland before play begins. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
Tickets are available through belmontbruins.com/tickets or by calling their ticket office at (615)460-BALL. All-session passes are also available for purchase ahead of next month’s Credit Union 1 MVC Tournament set for March 12–15 at Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa.
