RENSSELAER, Ind.--The Bellarmine University women's basketball team ran into a hot-shooting club and fell 88-79 to the St. Joseph's College Pumas this afternoon in a Great Lakes Valley Conference game at Scharf Fieldhouse.

The host Pumas got out of the gates quickly in the contest, burning the nets with a 64.3 shooting percentage as they put 52 points on the board to take a 14-point halftime lead.  The Knights mounted a comeback in the second half and cut the lead to just five points at the 13:49 mark, but St. Joseph's answered the challenge and again established a double digit lead. 

For the game, St. Joseph's shot 58.8 percent, while the Knights hit on 45.1 percent of their shots.  Bellarmine won the battle of the boards 24-22, marking the first time the Knights have lost while outrebounding their opponent.

Bellarmine junior Lauren Jones led all scorers with 27 points.  The transfer from Austin Peay made eight of 11 shots and was 6-7 from 3-point range. However, the shooting performance of the game was turned in by St. Joseph reserve Alexa Bess, who was 8-8 from the field and hit both of her free throw attempts to total 19 points and lead four Pumas in double figures.

The Knights fell to 9-7 (4-4 GLVC) while St. Joseph's improves to 6-9 (3-4 GLVC).

Next up for Bellarmine is a Monday night trip to the University of Indianapolis.  Tip is scheduled for 5:30 p.m.

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