The Belmont University women’s basketball team (0-3) fell 84-64 to Columbia University (3-0) on Sunday afternoon inside the Curb Event Center, wrapping up the inaugural Nashville Opening Statement tournament.
Columbia’s blistering shooting—anchored by a 50% overall clip and a 51.9% mark from beyond the arc (14-for-27)—proved too much for the Bruins to overcome.
Key Stats Breakdown
- Field Goal Shooting: Columbia shot 50.0% (30-for-60); Belmont shot 40.4%.
- 3-Point Shooting: Columbia dominated from deep with 14 triples (51.9%), while Belmont struggled at 22.7% (5-for-22).
- Rebounding: The Lions outrebounded the Bruins 42-31.
- Turnovers & Defense: Columbia capitalized on 17 Belmont turnovers to score 22 points, while Belmont forced 19 turnovers resulting in 18 points.
Standout Performances
- Chelby Jordan (Belmont): The freshman guard notched her first collegiate 20-point game in just her third outing, finishing with 20 points (8-for-12 FG), a game-best 5 assists, and 5 rebounds.
- Kate McGinnis (Belmont): Continued her hot shooting from deep, sinking four 3-pointers—including a spectacular buzzer-beater from logo range at the end of the first quarter—to finish with 15 points.
- Kenley McCarn (Belmont): Added 11 points and a team-high 7 rebounds.
- Riley Weiss (Columbia): The reigning Ivy League Player of the Year scored a game-high 28 points, dropping 21 in the second half alone (including 13 in a dominant fourth quarter).
- Fliss Henderson & Mia Broom (Columbia): Henderson posted a double-double with 11 points and 13 boards, while Broom added 11 points and 6 steals.
Game Flow
- First Quarter: Belmont erased an early 7-point deficit behind a flurry of 3-pointers from Kate McGinnis, closing the frame on an 11-3 run to take a 19-18 lead.
- Second & Third Quarters: Columbia responded with a 15-4 run in the second quarter to build a 42-31 halftime lead. Belmont fought back to within six points late in the third, but the Lions maintained a 55-44 edge heading into the final period.
- Fourth Quarter: Columbia put the game away with a decisive 17-5 scoring run fueled by Riley Weiss, outscoring the Bruins 29-20 in the final period to secure the 84-64 victory.
Looking Ahead
Belmont continues its five-game homestand with an 11:00 AM Education Day matchup against Troy on Friday (broadcast on ESPN+), followed by a marquee home game against eight-time national champion Tennessee on Tuesday, Nov. 17.
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