MORAGA, Calif.—The Bellarmine Knights pushed host Saint Mary's College to the limit, but the Gaels pulled out a 73-64 victory despite a career-high-tying 27 points from senior Dylan Penn.
 
The Knights (0-3) broke out of the gates extremely well, racing out to an 11-1 lead, but a long dry spell toward the end of the first half led to a 14-2 closing run for Saint Mary's as the Gaels took a 36-28 halftime advantage. 
 
After the break, Bellarmine suffered six turnovers in the first six minutes and fell behind by double digits.  However, the Knights cleaned up their play and fought back to grab a 55-54 lead with just over five minutes remaining.
 
The Gaels (4-0) reclaimed a slight advantage, but Bellarmine kept it to a one-possession game until Saint Mary's canned a 3-pointer at the 2:19 mark following an offensive rebound off a missed free throw.
 
From there, the Knights had to force the action and couldn't close the gap as Saint Mary's broke the Bellarmine pressure for a pair of layups in the final 30 seconds.
 
"When I look at the game, it's summed up very simple," said Bellarmine Coach Scott Davenport. "They outscored us in points off turnovers 14 to six, a difference of eight--it was a nine point game, and they shoot 31 free throws; we shoot 15."
 
Davenport added that he didn't have any complaints about the Knights' effort. "We fought our hearts out," he said. "We played like us for the first time this season."
 
Penn turned in a monster game for the Bellarmine, finishing 11 of 19 from the field and five of six from the free throw line for 27 points while adding four rebounds and a team-high four assists.  Garrett Tipton followed up his best career scoring game at Murray with nine points tonight.
 
On the other side of the court, Saint Mary's Matthias Tass also turned a monster game, finishing with a career-high 25 points, going 8-for-8 from the field and 9-of-11 from the charity stripe.
 
The Knights are off to take on another WCC team, the No. 1 ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs, on Friday.  Before Bellarmine returns to Louisville, they'll stop in Las Vegas for neutral site games against No. 2 UCLA and Central Michigan.  Those games will be played at T-Mobile Arena as part of the Good Sam Empire Classic benefiting the Wounded Warrior Project presented by Continental Tire.
 
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