MVC Women’s Basketball Southern Uprising

Belmont & Murray State Win in Iowa

(St. Louis, MO) – It was an historical night in MVC women’s basketball. We had a ‘southern uprising. The Missouri Valley Conference’s two, southern most programs were playing in ‘the far north’ in places they had never won. Belmont and Murray State each came away with barrier breaking victories.

Not only were they significant program awakening wins, but the Valley standings got all scrambled up too.

Belmont Wins at Drake

The Bruins had never won at Drake’s Knapp Center and the Bulldogs were riding a 19-game, in conference, winning streak into the contest. In Monday’s CollegeInsider.com’s Women’s Mid Major Top 25, the Bulldogs ranked fifteenth and the Bruins were twenty-second.

Earlier in the week, Drake star Katie Dinnebier had been named to the mid-season watch list for the nation’s top mid major player.

Belmont’s offense was clicking all night long. While trailing after one quarter 23-22, the Bruins would put up that same 22-point number in the second and third sessions and pulled away from the first place Bulldogs. They coasted in the fourth quarter on the way to an 80-65 season-defining victory.

Twenty-two was a popular number as Belmont star Tuti Jones finished with a season high 22 points and Jones has a career total of 1,222. Belmont (10-7, 5-1) has forged a three way tie in the Missouri Valley Conference race. Bruin defenders held Drake twelve points under its season scoring average.

Jones collected four of Belmont’s 14 steals, giving her an even 300 during her outstanding career.

Murray State’s Southern Uprising

While their former Ohio Valley Conference companion was winning for the first time ever at Drake, Murray State was claiming its first-ever win at Northern Iowa’s McLeod Center. The Racers (11-4, 5-1) pushed their way into that first-place tie with a 95-89 road win in Cedar Falls.

In a game that featured four of the Valley’s top five scorers, Racer offensive stars were Haven Ford (27 points) and Halli Poock (21). Murray is the Valley’s top scoring team and Rechelle Turner’s team was hitting on all cylinders.

UNI’s offense wasn’t bad, but the Panthers couldn’t restrain the Racer scorers. Panther guard Maya McDermott who was placed on the same mid-season watch list, scored 17 points, made three triples and now has 202 in her career.

The victory was Murray’s first of any kind (home or away) against the Panthers.

Southern Uprising – What’s Ahead

Saturday Belmont and Murray State trade places and opponents. The hope of a truly special southern uprising rides on the second chapter of these weekend showdowns.

Missouri State (11-4, 3-1) hopes to keep pace tonight. The Lady Bears play at Evansville.

Do Good

 

Editor: Cover photo of Tuti Jones, courtesy of belmontbruins.com.