Missouri State women’s basketball won’t be dancing at the NCAA Tournament this year after its run at the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament ended in the semifinals.
The Lady Bears lost 76-67 to Belmont on Saturday afternoon at the Ford Center in Evansville, Indiana. The game marked the end of the Lady Bears’ time as a Missouri Valley Conference member.
The Lady Bears could still continue their season in a different postseason tournament, such as the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament.
Belmont women’s basketball scored the first 12 points of the second half
After Lacy Stokes made a pair of free throws to take a one-point lead into the second half, Belmont scored the third quarter’s first 12 points to take an 11-point lead with three minutes left in the period.
When it looked like the Lady Bears might have been out of it, they scored seven of the quarter’s last 12 points, which was capped off by Paige Rocca’s 3 in the final seconds to bring the game back within six.
Missouri State women’s basketball can’t pull off comeback
Stokes scored 11 of the Lady Bears’ 14 points in the fourth quarter, but they couldn’t get the stops or buckets they needed after pulling the game within three with 4:27 remaining.
Belmont kept its distance behind a team-high 15 points from Jailyn Banks.
Stokes finished the evening with 21 points.
What a loss means for Missouri State women’s basketball
The Lady Bears’ season likely isn’t over, but they aren’t going to dance in the NCAA Tournament.
Their metrics trailed Murray State’s, which bracketologists considered one of the last teams out of the field entering the tournament.
A Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament appearance seems likely. The Lady Bears qualified for the field last year and seem to be in a better position to do so this year. It could even turn into the Lady Bears hosting a WBIT game at Great Southern Bank Arena.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Missouri State women’s basketball falls to Belmont at MVC Tournament
