LOUISVILLE, Ky. — As anticipated, the 2010-11 season has been deemed the best in Bellarmine University men's basketball program history in a continuing series by the ASUN Conference.
Bellarmine is the newest member of the ASUN.
Bellarmine captured the Division II national title in 2010-11. That Knights squad was inducted into the Bellarmine Athletic Hall of Fame in 2017, becoming just the third team at the university bestowed the honor. Bellarmine went 33-2 overall — a program record for wins — and 17-1 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference in securing the regular-season championship. The Knights wrangled their second straight GLVC Tournament title, locking up the crown with an 87-81 overtime win over archrival Southern Indiana.
Bellarmine earned the No. 1 seed and hosting duties in the NCAA Midwest Regional. The Knights defeated Indianapolis 84-70 in the opening round, outlasted Northern Kentucky 87-82 in the second round and hammered Ferris State 85-66 in the Sweet 16 in capturing the regional title. Guard Braydon Hobbs was named the regional's Most Outstanding Player and was joined on the All-Tournament team by guards Justin Benedetti and Chris Dowe and forward Luke Sprague.
The Elite Eight took place in the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Massachusetts. Bellarmine advanced to the Final Four with a 70-64 victory over Midwestern State and proceeded to the title game with an 81-74 win over Minnesota State-Mankato. Once there, the Knights hoisted the national championship trophy after edging BYU-Hawaii 71-68. Kendle and Benedetti were lauded on the Elite Eight All-Tournament team.
Scott Davenport was named the national Coach of the Year by the National Association of Basketball Coaches and the Division II Bulletin. Kendle and Hobbs both garnered All-America accolades. Kendle was recognized as the GLVC Player of the Year, Davenport was voted GLVC Coach of the Year and Hobbs was acknowledged as the GLVC Scholar-Athlete of the Year for men's basketball. Kendle, Hobbs, Benedetti and Dowe reaped All-GLVC laurels.
In addition to Kendle, Hobbs, Benedetti, Dowe and Sprague, members of the team included Forrest Smallwood, Garett Ross, Aaron Robison, Keisten Jones, Kris Carree, Jacob Jenkins, Julian Wilkison, Steve Pogue, Nick Holmes, Tony Hamann, Hayden Simon, Stevie Loveless and Richie Phares. The assistant coaches were Drew Cooper, Carl White and Michael Scott.
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