LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Bellarmine University women's basketball team's winning streak began in Florida, and that's where the Knights hope it will continue.
Winner of three straight games, Bellarmine continues ASUN action as the Knights (3-10, 3-5 ASUN) travel to meet Jacksonville (2-9, 0-6) on Saturday and Sunday in Swisher Gymnasium. Tip-off is at 1 p.m. (ET) both days.
On Jan. 24, in the tail end of its two games against Stetson in DeLand, Florida, Bellarmine notched its first Division I and ASUN win with a 71-64 victory over the Hatters. The Knights followed last weekend in Freedom Hall with their first D1 conference sweep, besting Kennesaw State 73-67 and 62-60.
The victories over the Owls played out in different fashion. In the first game, Bellarmine trailed KSU 34-31 at halftime and 50-45 after three quarters before rallying past the Owls by outscoring them 28-17 in the final period as the Knights created 26 turnovers, with 13 coming via steal. In the second game, Bellarmine built a 30-19 lead at the intermission and boosted the advantage to 25 in the third quarter. However, the Owls made a frantic comeback and the game was not decided until the final shot, as a potential game-winning 3-pointer by KSU was long.
As a result of the sweep, Bellarmine moved into fifth in the nine-team ASUN halfway through the league schedule. Senior guard
Tasia Jeffries is pacing the Knights in scoring at 12.4 points per game, senior forward
Lauren Deel is next at 10.2 and senior guard
Breia Torrens is close to a third double-figure scorer at 9.7. Junior forward
Sheniqua Coatney is topping Bellarmine at 5.8 rebounds per contest.
Jacksonville is coming off 78-46 and 78-52 road losses to Liberty, which was picked to finish second in the ASUN in the preseason. The Dolphins' two wins this season did come at home, a 67-52 victory over Webber International and 59-52 triumph over Flagler in nonconference contests.
In Jacksonville's second game at Liberty, Khalela Hayes, who has twice been honored this season as ASUN Freshman of the Week, posted a career-high 17-points on 6-for-10 shooting and has now scored in double figures in three of the past four contests. Erin Wilson scored 13 points and has scored in double figures four times in the six games she has played this season for the Dolphins. In the first game against Liberty, DeShari Graham and Hayes scored 13 points apiece.
Wilson is averaging 15.5 points per game and Graham is chipping in 11.4.
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