KENNESAW, Ga. — Senior guard CJ Fleming and junior guards Pedro Bradshaw and Dylan Penn were all dynamite offensively Saturday in the KSU Convocation Center.

But it was the defense of the trio that was the difference in the Bellarmine University men's basketball team's heart-stopping 84-79 win over resilient Kennesaw State in ASUN action.

Key stops down the stretch preserved another superb outing on offense for Bellarmine (9-5, 6-2 ASUN), which won its sixth straight game and moved into a tie for first in the ASUN standings. Completing their third consecutive sweep of a league opponent, the Knights shot 60.4 percent from the field against the Owls (3-15, 0-10) and were on target in both halves, essentially shooting 60 percent in each stanza.

"The late-game execution on our part was flawless," Knights Coach Scott Davenport said. "Sometimes you just have to give (the other team) credit. They hit some tough shots."

Fleming accumulated a team-high and career-high 22 points, Bradshaw tallied 19 and eight rebounds, and Penn registered 16 with five assists and five rebounds. Fleming hit several clutch free throws down the stretch in going 8-for-8 from the line and Bradshaw was 9-for-11 from the charity stripe, where Bellarmine went 23-of-27 overall for 85.2 percent accuracy.

A day after blowing out the Owls, Bellarmine and Kennesaw State were embroiled in a barnburner. While the Knights led by as many as 11 in the second half, the Owls charged back and the game was tied at 72 with less than four minutes remaining.

Fleming followed by picking off a pass and converting an easy fast-break layup. The Owls regained the lead after hot-shooting Spencer Rodgers, who scored a game-high 27 points, knocked down one of his six 3-pointers, but Fleming swung it back in Bellarmine's favor by sinking a pair of free throws.

Bradshaw followed with another Bellarmine steal and, after both teams missed shot attempts, Fleming canned another pair from the charity stripe for a 78-75 lead with 26 seconds left. The Knights allowed a layup on the other end, but Fleming drained another pair from the line to maintain a three-point lead with 18 seconds remaining.

As he was receiving the ensuing inbounds pass, Terrell Burden cut straight toward Penn, who, in a split second, braced his body and set up for an attempt at a charge. Burden barreled into Penn, who did indeed draw the foul. Bradshaw buried four more free-throw attempts to close it out.

"Dylan Penn — golly," Davenport said. "And CJ — how big was that steal? Great players affect the game in a lot of ways."

"You just have to stay in the moment," Davenport added, "and make play after play after play."

Kennesaw State shot 49.1 percent overall but 56.3 percent in a back-and-forth second half where the teams seemed at times to score at will.

"I don't care what Kennesaw State's record is. I know what I saw on film," Davenport said. "We overcame so much tonight. This team has been so resilient."

Bellarmine will host Jacksonville on Friday and Saturday.

For more coverage of Bellarmine athletics, follow us on Twitter (@BUKnights), Instagram (BUKnights) and Facebook (BUKnights).
 
BOX SCORE (HTM)