LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Alderson Broaddus opens its regular season at Knights Hall, and the Bellarmine University women's basketball team is hoping the Battlers' fortunes will be the same as the first two regional opponents the Knights faced on their home turf.

Bellarmine (2-0) will welcome Alderson Broaddus (0-0) for a 1 p.m. (ET) contest Saturday. The Knights are coming off two convincing regional wins in the GLVC/GLIAC Challenge after dispatching Saginaw Valley State 66-53 in their season debut and following with a 91-68 victory over Northwood.

Bellarmine struggled initially against Saginaw Valley State and fell behind 37-26 at halftime. However, the Knights limited the Cardinals to a single field goal in the third quarter and outscored SVSU 21-2 in the frame. Bellarmine maintained ownership of the game in the final period and wound up with a decisive 40-16 second-half advantage.

It was more of the same in the opening half against Northwood. Before the intermission, Bellarmine was hot from 3-point range (5 of 8), shrewd from the free-throw line (12 of 14), careful with the ball (four turnovers) and active and stingy on defense (Northwood shot 28 percent with 14 turnovers). The result was a 20-6 lead after the first quarter and 45-20 advantage after the second period as the Knights cruised to a decisive win.

Senior guard Raven Merriweather averaged 21.5 points and 9.5 rebounds over the first two games. The two-time All-GLVC selection's most critical work came in the game-changing third quarter against Saginaw Valley State when she scored 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting and spearheaded the comeback charge.

Career-high conversation was the story against Northwood. Sophomore forward Mallory Schwartz scored a career-high 15 points as did sophomore guard Katie Downey with 11. Sophomore guard Mikayla Berry was one off a career best with 17 points as was junior center Liza Tibbs with 10.

Playing her first two games at Bellarmine, sophomore forward Allison Van Dyke averaged 7.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and blocked four shots. Freshman point guard Breia Torrens led the Knights over the first two contests with four steals and combined with Downey for 13 assists.

Alderson Broaddus went 10-19 last season, including 4-10 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. The Battlers have their leading returning scorer back in Jordan Parker, who averaged 14.2 points and 4.8 rebounds last season while sinking 73 3-pointers. Devyn Bonner was limited to 11 games but was productive in her court time with 12.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per contest.

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