LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A locked-in look for a player at a shootaround doesn't always translate into a sublime performance, but when Chancellor Dugan observed Jennifer Smith early Saturday during preparations for that night's clash with Indianapolis, the Bellarmine University women's basketball coach had a good feeling about her junior center.

"After shootaround this morning, (Assistant) Coach (Crystal) Kelly reminded me that I called she was going to have a great game tonight," Dugan said. "She just looked ready; she looked like she really wanted it."

Did she ever.

Smith scored 11 of her 17 points in the two overtime sessions, including the go-ahead basket with 26 seconds left in the final frame, as Bellarmine pulled off another delirious comeback in an 80-77 victory over the Greyhounds at Knights Hall in Great Lakes Valley Conference play.

With the win, Bellarmine (14-11, 9-8 GLVC) clinched fourth place in the GLVC East and, more importantly, remained in the hunt to host a GLVC Tournament game. Indianapolis (10-15, 7-10) entered the contest one game back of the Knights in the division and had the chance to even things up. BU avenged an 89-72 loss to the Greyhounds on Jan. 15.

"It's huge for our kids," Dugan said. "I'm just really pleased with how all of them played."

Things appeared bleak for Bellarmine after UIndy's Carly Lythjohan sank a 3-pointer for a nine-point lead with 2:29 left. Nicole Anderson had been unstoppable down low, ultimately finishing with 31 points and 13 rebounds.  

However, Bellarmine, which had largely been ice cold from 3-point range, buried one trifecta after another in the last 2:13 of regulation. The final triple came when sophomore guard Destony Curry followed sophomore guard Whitney Hartlage and freshman guard Raven Merriweather with the tying trey with 23 seconds left. The game then went to overtime after Hartlage made a steal with six seconds left.

Once there, Smith made her presence felt. She scored seven points in the first overtime, with her free throw giving Bellarmine a 72-70 lead with 20 seconds left. On Indianapolis' ensuing possession, Curry blocked a Greyhounds shot with 10 seconds left. Indy retained possession as the ball went out of bounds and forced another overtime when Anderson scored with five seconds left.

The second extra session saw Indianapolis take a 77-76 lead on a pair of free throws by Lythjohan with 2:43 left. The score remained the same until Smith drained a jumper with 26 seconds left. The Greyhounds missed a 3-pointer and then, after an offensive rebound, were off on a jump shot, the latter of which was fittingly corralled by Smith. Hartlage canned a pair of free throws to cap another wild BU comeback, which was reminiscent of the 10-point deficit that the Knights erased in the last 1:13 to defeat Truman State on Feb. 5.

"I'm proud of them," Dugan said. "We had so much resilience."

Smith scored her 17 points off the bench and in only 18 minutes of action. She nailed 6-of-9 shots and 5-of-7 free throws along with grabbing five rebounds.

Indianapolis led by six halfway through the first half, but the Knights would take multiple leads before the game was knotted at 27 at halftime. The Greyhounds began the second half with a 7-0 run and led by 16 with 9:25 left before Bellarmine worked its way back, starting with one of Hartlage's four 3-pointers, the second straight game where she drained four trifectas and the fourth time overall.

Hartlage scored a team-high 20 points with seven rebounds, five assists and three steals for Bellarmine, while Merriweather added 15 points and eight rebounds. Senior forward Morgan Clemons chipped in 11 points and seven rebounds, and Curry contributed 10 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals.

"It was very physical, and I'm just glad we came out with the win," Dugan said.

Bellarmine will welcome Southern Indiana at 5:45 p.m. (ET) Thursday in its regular season finale.

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