LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The Bellarmine Men's Basketball Team opened up the 2009-10 campaign with a 88-65 loss to the University of Louisville in an exhibition game on Wednesday night at Freedom Hall.
Justin Benedetti scored a game high 21 points off 8-16 shooting from the field, while Luke Sprague contributed 12 points to the Bellarmine effort.
Louisville opened the contest by scoring the first seven points. Benedetti got the Knights on the board three minutes into the game with a three from the right corner, one of his five on 11 attempts on the evening.
Bellarmine could not escape foul problems throughout. Center Oladapo Fagbenle picked up his second personal foul with just over nine minutes to play in the opening frame, temporarily forcing him to the bench. Unfortunately, Fagbenle picked up a third foul with an illegal screen in the backcourt minutes before the half, which Louisville led 43-30.
“I thought Oladapo played tremendous tonight,” Bellarmine Head Coach Scott Davenport said. “We were playing short-handed with three frontcourt reserves on the bench, and he had eight first half rebounds.”
Bellarmine cut the Cardinal advantage to 10 as late as the 13:33 mark in the second half, when Sprague drained a three from the left side, making the score 52-42. Louisville pushed the advantage to 26 with 1:50 to play off a Reginald Delk three pointer.
Forward Samardo Samuels paced Louisville in the interior with team highs 18 points and 14 rebounds. Point guard Edgar Sosa had 12 points and dished out four assists to lead all players
The game was likely Davenport's final game coaching at Freedom Hall before the legendary arena is left vacant at the end of this season. Davenport spent nine seasons as an assistant coach at Louisville under Hall of Famer Denny Crum and current Cardinal coach Rick Pitino.
“I appreciate the opportunity to play here tonight,” Davenport said. "It is impossible to simulate their athleticism in our practices.”
The Knights continue their exhibition season on Saturday at Knights Hall with an exhibition game versus Kentucky State University. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
