NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Interstat) — The Belmont Bruins used a dominant second-quarter surge and a balanced offensive attack to pull away from the Bradley Braves for a 78-57 victory in a non-conference women’s basketball game Friday afternoon at Curb Events Center.

A crowd of 883 saw the Bruins improve to 7-7 overall, while Bradley fell to 8-5.

The game’s decisive stretch came in the second period. Leading 17-11 after a competitive first quarter, Belmont outscored Bradley 21-16 in the second to take a commanding 38-27 halftime lead. The Bruins’ defense tightened, forcing several Braves turnovers and converting them into transition opportunities. Bradley never recovered from the double-digit deficit, as Belmont maintained at least a nine-point lead throughout the entire second half and expanded it to as many as 21 points in the final minutes.

Belmont’s efficiency was the story of the game. The Bruins scored 78 points on just 72 possessions, posting an offensive rating of 107.6. They shot 47.5% from the field and 70% from the free-throw line. In contrast, Bradley managed only 57 points on 75 possessions, an offensive rating of 76.4, and shot just 31.7% from the floor.

Hilary Fuller, a sophomore from Brisbane, Australia, led all scorers with 20 points for Belmont, adding three rebounds and four assists. Jailyn Banks of Spring Hill, Tennessee, was the catalyst, finishing with 17 points, eight rebounds and four assists. KK Brodie, a 6-foot-3 freshman from Columbia, Missouri, provided a major presence inside with 12 points, five rebounds and four blocked shots. Quinn Eubank of Union, Kentucky, controlled the glass with a game-high 13 rebounds.

Bradley was led by Kaylen Nelson of Tulsa, Oklahoma, who scored 17 points. Amy O’Hara of Melbourne, Australia, contributed 13 points and five rebounds, while Maya Foz of Mississauga, Canada, and Tamia Perryman of Indianapolis, Indiana, each added 10 points.

The most important part of the game was Belmont’s sustained defensive pressure and rebounding advantage in the second quarter, which turned a narrow lead into a comfortable margin. The Bruins capitalized on Bradley’s cold shooting, holding the Braves to 20-of-63 for the game, and won the battle on the boards 43-37. Belmont’s ability to generate offense from multiple sources, with four players scoring in double figures, prevented any significant Bradley rally.

Belmont entered the game as a heavy favorite according to analytics, with a 97 percent probability to win, and played to that expectation from the second quarter onward.

Bradley’s previous game was a 62-61 road win at Northern Kentucky on Dec. 21. Belmont was coming off a 68-56 road victory at Southern Illinois on Monday.

Bradley travels to face Murray State on Sunday. Belmont will host Illinois State, also on Sunday.