LOUISVILLE, Ky.—The Bellarmine Knights are entering play this week on a high note after sweeping the Eagles of Florida Gulf Coast on the road last Friday and Saturday.  This week, the Knights host Stetson University in ASUN action on Friday (7 p.m.) and Saturday (5 p.m.) in historic Freedom Hall.
 
Bellarmine senior Ethan Claycomb, in particular, is coming into this week's play on a roll after picking up ASUN Player of the Week honors on Tuesday after averaging 16 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists a game against FGCU.
 
Stetson, meanwhile, also turned in a positive weekend after knocking off then-league-leading Liberty on Friday.  Although the Hatters dropped Saturday's game to the Flames, Stetson can take solace in the fact that they had a strong showing despite having to play short-handed with only eight scholarship players suiting up against Liberty.
 
Starting the season 0-4, Stetson has rebounded to win four of its last six games and stands 4-6 overall and 2-2 in the ASUN, which is tied with Bellarmine for fifth in the league standings.
 
An extremely young team, Stetson has just one senior and no juniors.  Despite the youth, the Hatters return four starters, including 78 percent of their scoring and 79 percent of their rebounding. Top returners include Rob Perry and Mahamadou Diawara, who were both named to the Kyle Macy Freshman All-America Team while Perry earned the ASUN's Freshman of the Year accolade. In addition, both Diawara and Perry were named Preseason All-ASUN selections this year.
 
Coach Donnie Jones, a Pikeville graduate, has been getting solid play not only from his returners, but freshmen Stephen Swenson and Chase Johnston also have been key contributors.  While Perry is the leading Hatter scorer at 14.4 points a game, Johnston is putting up 13.4 a game and Swenson is among the ASUN leaders at 3.4 assists per contest.
 
In addition to Claycomb's recent strong play, Bellarmine (5-5, 2-2 ASUN) saw junior guard Dylan Penn dish out a career-high seven assists in both games against FGCU to raise his assist average to 3.8 per game, which ranks fifth in the ASUN.  Junior Pedro Bradshaw continues to pace the Knights in scoring and rebounding with averages of 13.0 and 6.7.
 
Meanwhile, senior CJ Fleming achieved a milestone at FGCU, joining the Bellarmine Top 10 for all time 3-pointers. He supplanted 2-time All-American Jeremy Kendle as No. 10 on BU's list with 146 and enters the Stetson series just two trifectas behind Luke Sprague for No. 9 on the list.
 
Both games will be available for viewing on ESPN+ with Nick Curran on play-by-play and former Knight Nick Holmes on color commentary.  Local fans can also get the radio call from Doug Ormay and Mark Bugg on 93.9 FM The Ville.