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Bellarmine University Athletics

Conference champs
Bellarmine Knights: 2009-10 GLVC Champions

Knights capture GLVC crown with 79-69 victory over KWC

Earn No. 2 seed in NCAA Midwest Regional

3/7/2010 7:15:15 PM

By: by John Spugnardi, Sports Information Director
SPRINGFIELD, Ill.—Junior guard Jeremy Kendle poured in 31 points and ripped down 10 rebounds to lead  Bellarmine University to the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championship by defeating the No. 3 Kentucky Wesleyan Panthers 79-69 today at The Recreation and Athletic Center on the campus of the University of Illinois-Springfield.

The championship is the first GLVC title for Bellarmine since the conference instituted a postseason tournament, and the first solo league title in school history (Bellarmine was tri-champs in 1991). 

The win also helped further what Bellarmine fans have dubbed “The Knights Revenge Tour,” as Bellarmine has now avenged regular season losses in four consecutive games, dating back to their regular season-ending victory over Southern Indiana. In the conference tournament, the Knights opened with a win over Quincy before defeating Drury in the semifinals and Kentucky Wesleyan today.

“They (Bellarmine's players) were incredibly courageous,” said Bellarmine Coach Scott Davenport, who tied Alex Groza for number two on Bellamine's career wins list with 91. “It was all about defense. We defended the 3-point line and held them to six of 24 from behind the line.”
The game was hard-fought throughout, but the Knights stayed in control most of the way with Kentucky Wesleyan's largest lead being two. As the game wound down, Bellarmine was able to stretch the lead and took their first double-digit lead when Braydon Hobbs got free for a layup at the 2:46 mark. Chris Dowe gave the Knights their biggest lead (13) with a spinning layup with just 37 ticks remaining.

Bellarmine, which came into the game 11th in the nation in field goal percentage, was held to just 44.7 percent shooting by an active Panther defense, but the Knights were solid with the ball, turning it over just eight times.  The Knights also played solid defense, holding Kentucky Wesleyan to just 35.2 percent shooting.

Four Bellarmine players joined Kendle in double figures: Dowe (14), Hobbs (11), and Luke Sprague (10). Kentucky Wesleyan (29-4) was led by Desmond Stephens with 19 points and five assists, and center Jay Ivey pulled down 11 rebounds for the Panthers.

Bellarmine, which came in as the tournament's No. 2 Seed from the East, improves to 22-8 on the season. Kentucky Wesleyan, the No. 1 Seed from the East, fell to 29-4.

Bellarmine now awaits the NCAA announcement of the field of 64 later tonight. Projections suggest that Kentucky Wesleyan is the likely No. 1 seed in the Midwest and will host the regional in Owensboro March 14, 15 and 17. 

After the game, Kendle was announced as the tournament Most Outstanding Player. Joining him on the All-tournament team were Hobbs, Stephens KWC's Kwan Waller, and Drury's Dennon Mitchell.

BOX SCORE

UPDATE: SUNDAY EVENING 10:00 P.M.

LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The Bellarmine University men's basketball team earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional, and will open against the No. 7 seed, Central State University, on Saturday at the Owensboro Sportscenter.  Game times and ticket availability for the tournament will be announced on Monday afternoon.

 

The Knights (22-8) defeated Kentucky Wesleyan College on Sunday afternoon, 79-69, in the championship game of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament.  Despite the loss, Kentucky Wesleyan retained their No. 1 regional ranking and earned the right to host the regional tournament.  The Panthers will open up against No. 8 seed and conference foe, Saint Joseph's College.

 

The NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championship is divided into eight regions of eight teams each.  The first three rounds of the tournament are hosted by the region's top seed from March 13-16. 

 

The eight regional champions will then move to the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass. for the Elite Eight, beginning March 24.  The championship game will be nationally broadcast by CBS on March 27.

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