N Kentucky defeats Bellarmine 76-80
N Kentucky Edges Bellarmine in Thrilling Non-Conference Showdown
In a back-and-forth contest that saw both teams battle to the end, No. 14-ranked N Kentucky emerged with an 80-76 victory over unranked Bellarmine at Knights Hall on Saturday night.
The primary storyline of the game revolved around the back-and-forth nature of the matchup, with both teams trading leads and neither able to pull away comfortably. The largest lead of the evening belonged to Bellarmine, as they led by 7 points early in the second half, only for N Kentucky to claw their way back into contention.
The turning point came when N Kentucky's LJ Wells scored 6 points in a span of 2:15, including a pair of clutch baskets that brought his team within one with just over 5 minutes remaining. From there, both teams went toe-to-toe, trading baskets and neither able to gain a clear advantage until the final minute.
Dan Gherezgher led N Kentucky with 17 points, while LJ Wells added 17 points and 8 rebounds for the Wildcats. For Bellarmine, Jack Karasinski paced the Knights with 21 points and 8 rebounds.
The advanced statistics told a similar story as the box score, with both teams struggling from beyond the arc. The Wildcats shot 32% from three-point range, while the Knights managed just 39%. However, N Kentucky's more efficient performance in the paint proved to be the difference-maker, as they outscored Bellarmine 44-32 in the interior.
The win brings N Kentucky's record to 6-2 on the season, while Bellarmine falls to 4-5. The Knights will look to bounce back from this tough defeat when they host their next opponent at home, while N Kentucky heads into a busy stretch of non-conference play with a chance to build momentum.
Final Box Score:
Bellarmine (HOME) - 76
N Kentucky (AWAY) - 80
Game Stats:
* Field Goals: Bellarmine 27/54, N Kentucky 32/63
* 2-Point FG: Bellarmine 18/31, N Kentucky 24/38
* 3-Point FG: Bellarmine 9/23, N Kentucky 8/25
* Free Throws: Bellarmine 13/13, N Kentucky 8/17
Team Stats:
* Rebounds: Bellarmine 32 (Off: 7, Def: 25), N Kentucky 32 (Off: 12, Def: 20)
* Assists: Bellarmine 19, N Kentucky 17
* Turnovers: Bellarmine 18, N Kentucky 10
Advanced Stats:
* eFG%: Bellarmine 58.3%, N Kentucky 57.1%
* FT Rate: Bellarmine 24.1%, N Kentucky 27.0%
* OREB%: Bellarmine 21.9%, N Kentucky 37.5%
* TO Ratio: Bellarmine 25.7%, N Kentucky 14.5%
True Shooting Percentage:
* Bellarmine 63.6%
* N Kentucky 56.8%