Belmont Women's Basketball Falls to Illinois State in Overtime, 83-78

Despite a strong first-half performance, the Bruins were unable to hold off the Redbirds' second-half rally.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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The Belmont University women's basketball team suffered an 83-78 overtime defeat against Illinois State on Friday night. Belmont built a 12-point first-half lead and took a 33-25 advantage into halftime, but the Redbirds rallied in the second half and overtime to secure the victory.

Why it matters

This loss is a setback for Belmont, who entered the game with a 16-10 record and 12-3 conference mark. The Bruins were looking to solidify their position in the Missouri Valley Conference standings, but the defeat against a fellow contender Illinois State will make their path to the conference tournament more challenging.

The details

Illinois State shot 61% in the second half and held Belmont to just 3-for-9 shooting in overtime. With the score tied at 68 and 16.5 seconds left in regulation, a three-point attempt by Belmont's Jailyn Banks missed. In overtime, Belmont trailed 79-76 but couldn't convert on three-point tries from Banks and Sanaa Tripp.

  • The game was played on Friday, February 21, 2026.
  • Belmont led 33-25 at halftime.

The players

Jailyn Banks

Belmont's leading scorer, who had a career-high tying 26 points and a career-best six three-pointers.

Tuti Jones

Belmont's all-time steals leader, who recorded a career-high eight steals.

Addison Martin

An Illinois State player who secured a key defensive rebound in overtime.

Grace Nelson

An Illinois State player who sealed the victory with two free throws in overtime.

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What’s next

Belmont will next face Bradley on Sunday, February 22nd, at 2 p.m. In Peoria, Illinois. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.

The takeaway

This loss highlights the challenges Belmont faces in the competitive Missouri Valley Conference, where they will need to regroup and focus on their next game against Bradley in order to maintain their position in the standings.