LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Bellarmine University men's basketball team's final tune-up before ASUN play couldn't have gone much better.

On Saturday in Freedom Hall, Bellarmine shot 63.6 percent and also put forth a stifling defensive effort in a 90-38 throttling of Mount St. Joseph.

"This team and their ability to care about the task at hand and each other is all a coach could ask for," Knights Coach Scott Davenport said. "It's both ends, not just offense."

Bellarmine (3-3) was indeed dominant in each area against Division III Mount St. Joseph (0-4). The Knights shot 64 percent in the first half and 63.3 in the second while holding the Lions to 33.3 percent shooting. They had 20 assists on 35 made baskets. They had advantages of 50-12 in points in the paint, 21-2 in points off turnovers, 52-0 in bench scoring and 35-15 in rebounding.

"We wanted one voice but five people contributing to that voice," Davenport said of the defensive approach.

Sophomore forward Sam DeVault came off the bench to score a career- and game-high 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting. Junior guard Pedro Bradshaw added 12 points and five rebounds, sophomore forward Nick Thelen hit all five of his shots in scoring 10 points and senior forward Ethan Claycomb distributed a game-high five assists.

Sophomore guard Bash Wieland collected a career-high nine points as all 14 active players saw action for the second game in a row. Freshman guards Zac Jennings and Hunter Brogan both registered their first collegiate points. Eleven Knights played at least 10 minutes.

Junior guard Dylan Penn opened the game by sinking a 3-pointer as Bellarmine grabbed a 7-0 lead, and the Knights upped the advantage to 10 seven minutes into the contest on a jumper by DeVault. A 13-1 run spiked the lead to 35-14 and the Knights headed into halftime up 42-20 before cruising to the win in the second half.

Bellarmine opens ASUN play by hosting Lipscomb on Friday and Saturday.

"Lipscomb will be a great, great challenge," Davenport said. "We need Freedom Hall to be Freedom Hall next Friday and Saturday."

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