BUIES CREEK, N.C.-Belmont got
everything it wanted and more from Campbell Saturday afternoon, but
the Bruins scored the final seven points of the game to escape
Carter Gym with a 61-54 victory in Atlantic Sun play.
Campbell (5-14, 3-6 A-Sun) went on a 10-3 run from the 8:21 mark to
the 3:11 mark in the second half erasing a 51-44 Belmont lead and
tying the game at 54-54 on an Octavia Blackwell jumper.
Kristin Bunch nailed a jumper on the Bruins (15-4, 9-0) next
possession down the floor and then Brooke Sunday extended the lead
to 58-54 with a layup with 2:16 to play. Belmont hit another jumper
with 47 seconds left and a free throw by Bunch closed out the
scoring. The Lady Camels missed their final four shot attempts
after tying the game.
Freshman Taylor Oliver scored a game-high 15 points for the Lady
Camels and also pulled down four rebounds and dished out four
assists. Octavia Blackwell rebounded from a 0-for-9 shooting
performance on Thursday against Lipscomb shooting lights out
Saturday connecting on 6-of-9 from the floor finishing with 13
points, five assists and four rebounds. Marlena Murphy added 10
points and eight boards to close out Campbell's double-figure
scoring.
The Atlantic Sun's leading scorer Alysha Clark led Belmont with 14
points, but the nation's fourth-leading rebounder was held to just
six boards, with two coming in the final 25 seconds of the game.
Brittany Myers hit 5-of-10 for 12 points and nine rebounds, while
Amber Rockwell added 10 points shooting 2-of-9 from three-point
range.
Campbell outrebounded the Bruins 44-41 on the game, but Belmont
was able to pull down 19 offensive rebounds converting them into 19
second-chance points compared to six second-chance points on 16
offensive rebounds for the Lady Camels.
Belmont's lead tittered between three and seven for the majority
of the second half until the Lady Camels made their run at the 8:43
mark.
The first half featured eight lead changes and two ties as the
teams traded punches like prize fighters throughout the opening 20
minutes.
The Lady Camels didn't score for the first three minutes of the
game, but then went on a 12-2 run over the next three minutes
grabbing a 12-5 advantage. Belmont rallied with an 11-3 run
grabbing a 16-15 lead with 7:30 to play in the half. Campbell went
a span of seven minutes with only one field goal during Belmont's
run.
After Campbell took a 21-20 lead with 5:29 to play, Belmont ended
the half on a 9-3 run taking a 29-24 lead into the break.
Oliver opened the second half with a three pointer and Blackwell
nailed a jumper pulling the Camels within two during the opening
minute of play. Clark put in a layup and Bunch drained a three on
back-to-back possessions extending the lead back to seven.
Both teams struggled from the floor as Campbell shot 35.1 percent
(20-57) and Belmont connected on just 34.9 percent (22-63). The
Bruins forced 17 Campbell turnovers, while only handing the ball
over nine times themselves.
Campbell's Adrienne Rieley and Belmont's Jessica Bobbitt both had
nine rebounds to lead their respective teams and both finished with
just two points.
Campbell continues its four-game Atlantic Sun homestand on
Thursday night against North Florida at 7:00. The Ospreys (4-14,
3-5) defeated Campbell 59-53 in Jacksonville, Fla. back on January
4.