LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Bellarmine University Senior Jake Thelen may have saved his best for last.  Playing his final regular season game in Knights Hall, the 6-7 forward exploded for a career high 33 points and added 14 rebounds as the second-ranked Knights assured themselves the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Great Lakes Valley Conference Championship with a 67-54 victory over Southern Indiana tonight on senior night in Knights Hall.
 
The victory gave Bellarmine a new school record for most wins in the regular season as the Knights improved to 25-2 with a 17-1 league record.  They end the regular season atop the East Division standings, tied with Wisconsin-Parkside, who has the identical 25-2, 17-1 record. The Knights get the conference top seed by virtue of defeating the Rangers in their only head-to-head meeting.
 
The win extends the BU win streak to 13 games while the Screaming Eagles saw their seven-game streak come to an end.
 
Tonight's game was an offensive struggle for both teams—especially in the early going, when the teams combined to make just two of 20 first half threes.  Bellarmine held the Screaming Eagles to just 27.4 percent shooting on the night as USI leading scorer Gavin Schumann needed 24 shots to tally 13 points.
 
The Knights had just one assist at halftime and made just 37.9% percent from the field.  In the second period, Bellarmine did a better job finishing plays and dished out 12 second half assists to bring up their shooting to 46.4 percent for the game.
 
"Offenses only provide you opportunities, they don't make shots for you," said Bellarmine Coach Scott Davenport.  "When we break this film down, it'll be pretty good execution and passing, we just missed the shots.  We still beat a very good team—a red hot team playing for their tournament life.  We knew we were going to get their best shot, and we did, but I just really, really love our guys. "
 
Bellarmine led wire to wire, but never could fully shake the persistent Screaming Eagles, who corralled 22 offensive rebounds on the night.  The Knights' largest lead was 13 on two different occasions, including the final margin as George Suggs drained a three as the shot clock wound down on BU's final possession.  The halftime margin was 11 at 32-21, but it was nearly 14 as Thelen missed his first 3-point attempt of the season—a desperation heave that banged off the glass and rattled the rim before falling off.
 
In the end, tonight's game was about the seniors—Josh Sewell, Chris Whitehead, Thelen and Corbin Maynard, who were honored before the game. 
 
The GLVC Championship begins on Sunday when the Nos. 5 through 12 seeds play opening round games at campus sites.  Bellarmine will open play on Thursday at noon when they will meet the lowest remaining seed in a quarterfinal game at the Family Arena in St. Charles, Mo., which will be the site of the final three rounds of the tourney.
For complete tournament information, check the conference championship website at http://glvcsports.com/sports/2014/12/12/MBBALL_1212143254.aspx?path=mbball
 
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