Box Score Video Recap
LOUISVILLE, Ky. --- The Bellarmine University women's basketball team turned in a strong performance on Thursday night, winning wire-to-wire over the Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles 65-62 in Knights Hall in a key Great Lakes Valley Conference game.
With the win, Bellarmine (18-9, 8-8 GLVC) clinches a spot in the upcoming GLVC Tournament while also ending a two game losing streak.
The Knights were sharp at the outset, racing out to a 12-2 lead in the first three minutes after registering assists on four of their first five baskets. The onslaught continued as BU built a 17-4 lead after
Rachel Greenwell hit a jumper at the 16:01 mark, forcing USI head coach Rick Stein to burn his second timeout in the first four minutes of the game.
Greenwell continued to stay hot in the opening period, scoring 10 of her team-high 14 in the first stanza with the team as a whole hitting 15-of-29 (51.9%) shots in the half.
Bellarmine extended their lead to 19 on a
Lauren Jones layup with 10:07 to play in the game before USI answered quickly with an 8-0 run to pull within 54-43.
The Screaming Eagles continued to chip away at the lead, getting within 3 with 10 seconds left. But on the ensuing play, senior
Betsy Goodin ran free for a lay-up to go up five and put away the game. USI's Ariel Barnes hit a jumper at the buzzer to get to the final margin.
The win is the first for new Bellarmine coach
Chancellor Dugan over her previous school and former assistant, Stein. Dugan was at the helm of the USI program from 1991-99, taking the Screaming Eagles to National Championship game in 1997.
Behind Greenwell's performance,
Darion Hutchinson also reached double-figures for the 9th time in the last ten games by scoring 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting.
But the difference makers of the game were a pair of juniors in
Kylee Hamilton and
Kelsey Lamb. Hamilton continued her stellar play since being inserted in the starting lineup by totaling 6 points, 6 assists, and a career-high 6 steals. Her six steals are the most for a Knight since Jalissa Chatlos stole the same amount against Illinois-Springfield in the 2009-10 season.
Down low, Lamb posted 7 points and 10 rebounds in just 16 minutes of action with six of those boards coming on the offensive end, her 10 rebounds ties a career-high.
The Knights finished the game 27-of-56 (48.2%) from the field and 7-of-17 (41.2%) from beyond the arc. All nine players that saw action found the scoring column with all nine scoring at least four points.
Bellarmine will now take their show on the road, taking on Kentucky Wesleyan in Owensboro, Ky. on Saturday, tip is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. The game can be heard live on 94.7 WFIA with Chris Labar on the call.
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