LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Facing a steep deficit in the second half, Murray State ramped up the pressure and delivered its best shot of Saturday's contest against the Bellarmine University men's basketball team.

The Knights may have been dazed but they didn't wilt, absorbing the blow while rising again and changing the course firmly back in their favor in a 69-58 nonconference win over the Racers.

Guard play carried the scoring load for Bellarmine (5-6), which won its third straight game, the latest against a squad in Murray State (5-4) that went 31-3 last season. Senior guard Garrett Tipton poured in a career-high 25 points on 10-for-14 shooting, senior guard Juston Betz was one point shy of a career best with 18 and senior guard Alec Pfriem contributed 13 points.

"It was very important," Knights Coach Scott Davenport said of the win. "They were 31-3 a year ago and we understand the difference in staffs and personnel, but that's a big-time quality win. (Murray State Head Coach) Steve Prohm is one of the best coaches that's coached in this state, and they will be great, there's no doubt about it. This was a program win."

Bellarmine nearly led from wire to wire and stretched a seven-point halftime advantage to 18 with roughly 12 minutes left, but Murray State unleashed a full-court press that frazzled the Knights and triggered a 16-0 run that got the Racers within 50-48 with seven minutes remaining.

Pfriem halted the charge by converting a traditional three-point play. After Murray State made 1-of-2 from the free-throw line, Tipton stuck a putback on Bellarmine's third shot of the possession. Following another make and then miss at the charity stripe by the Racers, Betz buried a 3-pointer and Pfriem sank a pair of free throws after a MSU miss from deep to restore a double-digit lead at 60-50.

After Bellarmine drew an offensive foul, sophomore forward Curt Hopf drained a 3-pointer to spike the lead to 13 with less than four minutes remaining. The Knights may have only been 6-for-22 from long range for the game, but they were clutch from deep during the game-clinching 13-2 run that answered Murray State's surge.

Bellarmine held a 32-16 advantage in points in the paint. Tipton grabbed seven rebounds while Betz — whom Davenport said may have played the best game of his career — added six and three assists. Pfriem notched five rebounds and freshman guard Peter Suder registered five assists. Murray State's Rob Perry, a former standout at ASUN rival Stetson, led the Racers with 24 points.

Bellarmine shot 45.3 percent overall and held Murray State to 37.5 percent. The Knights went 13-for-13 from the free-throw line in the second half.

"This is a heck of a defensive team," Davenport said of his squad. "We went through a lull of not attacking and we turned it over. Give (Murray State) credit: That's what winners do. I'm so tired of playing Rob Perry it's unbelievable. I told him that after the game."

Less than three minutes into the contest, Tipton canned a 3-pointer to stake Bellarmine to a 5-3 lead and the Knights led the rest of the way. Tipton scored 10 points during a 12-3 run to open the game. Pfriem banked in a jumper from the wing at the buzzer to send Bellarmine into halftime with a 32-25 advantage.

Bellarmine will host Miami (Ohio) at 4 p.m. (ET) next Saturday.

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