LOUISVILLE, Ky.—For 37 minutes the game was a tossup, but the host Louisville Cardinals ended the contest with a 9-1 run to knock off Bellarmine 75-65 in an NCAA exhibition game on Tuesday night at the KFC Yum! Center.
 
Neither team led by more than six points over the first 38 minutes of the game, but an old-fashioned 3-point play by UofL's Jordan Nwora at the 1:55 mark boosted the Cardinals lead to seven, and the Knights couldn't mount a comeback in the short amount of time remaining.
 
Bellarmine, ranked No. 3 in the NABC Division II Coaches Poll, took a slim 35-33 lead into the locker room at halftime, but fifth-ranked Cardinals stormed out with a 5-0 run to start the second half, prompting Bellarmine Coach Scott Davenport to take a time out less than two minutes into the period. The strategy worked as the Knights reclaimed the lead two minutes later, and the score was close until Louisville got the late run.
 
"I'm incredibly proud of our guys," Davenport said. "My message to them after the game was very simple and that was to learn from this.  It was an incredible learning and teaching opportunity tonight. I understand they're (UofL) shorthanded, but this learning environment tonight as a teacher is not going be equaled by anyone in Division II."
 
Only five players scored in the game for the Cardinals with four of them combining for 73 of their 75 points.  Nwora had the hot hand for Louisville, tossing in 28 points on 10 of 21 shooting including five of 11 from long range. Dwayne Sutton also had a big game, registering a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds.

Seniors Alex Cook and Ben Weyer paced the Knights.  Cook tallied 20 points while collecting nine boards with Weyer adding 15 points and five rebounds.  Sophomore Dylan Penn, who was in tonight's starting five, also had a solid game, making five of six shots and finishing with 12 points.
 
Overall, Davenport said he was encouraged by his team's performance.  "There's no limit to this basketball team," he said. 
 
"This was a heck of a basketball game," Davenport added, "When you look at it, we outshoot them, (points) in the paint are even; (points) off turnovers are even. It came down to second chance points."
 
The Cardinals owned a 17-2 advantage in second points, outrebounding Bellarmine 40-26 including 15-3 on the offensive glass.
 
Next up for the Knights is another exhibition game against another ACC school—Notre Dame.  Bellarmine and the Irish will hit the hardwood at the Joyce Center on the Notre Dame campus on Friday, Nov. 1.  Tip is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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