LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Jacksonville had three players score in double figures and responded in the last quarter after the Bellarmine University women's basketball team had rallied in defeating the Knights 64-46 Saturday in ASUN action in Freedom Hall.
After the Dolphins (10-6, 3-2 ASUN) built an 11-point lead midway through the third quarter, Bellarmine (3-14, 0-6) put together an 11-2 run triggered by a backdoor feed from sophomore guard
Claire Knies to senior guard
Kathleen Scott to cut the deficit to two. Freshman forward
Haley Stoklosa drained a 3-pointer and a pair of free throws during the spurt.
Bellarmine remained within two at 42-40 a couple minutes into the fourth quarter, but not much later, Jacksonville hit a pair of 3-pointers during an 8-0 run that pushed its lead back into double digits. The Dolphins would continue to control the final period, outscoring the Knights 22-8 in the frame largely behind 12-for-17 shooting from the free-throw line in the last stanza.
Jacksonville went 20-for-26 from the charity stripe overall, with the amount of made free throws matching the Dolphins' output of made field goals (20). Jacksonville entered the contest with the ASUN's second-best scoring defense and backed it up by holding Bellarmine to 26.2-percent shooting.
"We're better than that, we've just got to prove it," Knights Coach
Chancellor Dugan said. "Because they prove it every day in practice. They've got to prove it on the court."
Asiah Jones recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds while blocking three shots for Jacksonville. DeShari Graham paced the Dolphins in scoring with 14 points, Taylor Hawks chipped in 11 and Makayla Edwards grabbed 10 rebounds. Jacksonville amassed 23 offensive rebounds and had a 51-37 rebounding advantage.
"You can't let somebody get 23 offensive rebounds," Dugan said. "We've just got to block them out. We've got to have better production out of the people that are ready to produce."
Bellarmine didn't have a double-figurer scorer, but senior guard
Bailee Harney did lead the Knights in scoring for the fourth time in five games with nine points on a trio of 3-pointers. Stoklosa registered seven points, six rebounds and two blocks, while junior guard
Jaela Johnson collected seven rebounds and Knies tallied four assists.
Bellarmine plays at 5 p.m. (ET) Thursday at Stetson.
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