LOUISVILLE, Ky. ---Looking to make a late season push in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, the Bellarmine University women's basketball team throttled the visiting St. Joseph's College Pumas, going wire-to-wire for 96-78 victory on Thursday night in Knights Hall.

The Knights received a balanced effort that included five players reaching double-figures to improve to 11-11 (5-9 GLVC) while St. Joseph's falls to 13-9 (7-7 GLVC) on the year. More importantly, the Knights close the gap in the race to host a first round GLVC game, trailing both St. Joseph's and Kentucky Wesleyan by two game for the eighth spot.

The outcome was never in doubt as Bellarmine raced out to a 7-0 lead in the first 2:30 thanks to five quick points by sophomore Therese Montano. The lead was stretched out to 14 points in the first half after Kylee Hamilton nailed a three from the top of the corner.  Torching the nets in the first half, the Knights hit 16-31 (.516) field goals, including 5-11 (.455) from behind the three-point line.

A hot-shooting offense was not the only reason that Bellarmine went into the locker room with a 44-34 lead, the Knights also forced the Pumas into 10-37 (.270) shooting, while swatting away six shots.

Early in the second half St. Joseph's cut the lead to five at 50-45, but Bellarmine ramped up the offense again, quickly going on a 9-0 run to put the game firmly out of reach for the visitors. After that run the lead never went below nine as Bellarmine cleared the bench and cruised to a 96-78 win.

Going scoreless in the loss at Lewis, junior Kylie Brady came back with 21 points and tied a career-high with seven assists to lead Bellarmine, while Montano (18 pts.), Betsy Goodin (16 pts.), and Hamilton (16 pts.) all had strong performances.

Allison Osen had another strong performance down low, recording her second double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds, while also coming up with five blocks. Her frontcourt mate Darion Hutchinson also turned in a stellar game with six points, 10 rebounds, and four blocks.

Off the bench, Jasmyne Reynolds led the Pumas with 20 points, while Montrell Mills had 19 and Tatiana Ortiz pitched in 17. Bellarmine chased and hounded the Pumas' Britney Cruse, who came into the game ninth in the GLVC in scoring at 14.9 points per game, into a 2-17 shooting night and finished with just six points.

Bellarmine returns to action on Sunday as they welcome in the University of Indianapolis to Knights Hall for a 5:45 p.m. showdown. The Greyhounds won the earlier meeting between the two squads, 71-59.

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