OVC WOMEN'S HOOPS: Colonels eliminated from contention for postseason

Richmond Register, Ky.
·2 min read

Feb. 26—Bria Bass reached a special milestone on Thursday at McBrayer Arena, but the Colonels (8-15, 7-12 OVC) saw their postseason hopes come to an end.

The senior became just the 24th player in program history to score 1,000 points as Eastern Kentucky University suffered a 79-55 loss to Belmont.

That setback, combined with a win by Eastern Illinois over SEMO left the Colonels two games behind the eighth-place Panthers (11-13, 9-10 OVC) with just one game left in the regular season.

Only the top eight teams advance to the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament next week in Evansville, Ind.

Bass entered the game with 999 career points. With 8:06 left in the first quarter, the Tucker, Ga., native stepped back and knocked down a short jumper.

Bass had a season-high 17 points in the first half. She finished the night with 25 points, tying her career-best. Bass made 7-of-9 from the field, 4-of-6 from three-point range and hit on all seven of her free throw attempts. She also had 11 rebounds.

The Colonels edged out to a five-point lead, 15-10, on a three-pointer from the right corner by Bass. A jumper by Jayla Johnson put the home team up 21-13. EKU led by five, 23-18, at the end of the first quarter.

A 10-4 run to start the second allowed Eastern to build a double-digit lead. Anysa Jordan's three-pointer from the right corner made it a 10-point game, 30-20. Another triple from Bass gave the Colonels an 11-point advantage, 33-22.

However, the Bruins answered with a 16-2 run. Jamilyn Kinney tied it 35-35 with a three-pointer. Destinee Wells followed with a lay-up and then capped it moments later with a free throw to give her team a 38-35 lead.

Belmont (16-5, 13-3 OVC) went to the locker room at halftime up three, 40-37.

The Bruins put the game away by scoring the first 10 points of the second half. Wells swished a three-pointer with 5:45 left in the third to finish off the run and make it a 13-point game, 50-37.

EKU got as close as eight, but never any closer.

Alice Recanati had 12 points, five rebounds and four assists for Eastern Kentucky. Wells scored a team-high 25 points for Belmont.

The Bruins turned 19 offensive rebounds into 18 second chance points and scored 29 points off 21 EKU turnovers.

The Colonels will close out the regular season on Saturday at home against Tennessee State. Tip-off is scheduled for 4 p.m.