LOUISVILLE, Ky. — There were certainly positives on the offensive end, but this performance was defined by the defense.

On Thursday night in Freedom Hall, the Bellarmine University women's basketball team put the clamps on high-scoring Evansville, holding the Aces to nearly half their season average in a 60-40 victory.

"We talked a lot about playing our defense, and that means rotating. We did that tonight," Knights Coach Chancellor Dugan said. "We've put in so much time on it. I'm really proud of all of them."

After being edged by Evansville (4-3) the last two seasons, Bellarmine (3-6) notched its first win over the Aces in the Division-I era. The convincing victory was largely a product of a defensive outing where the Knights allowed their fewest points since joining the NCAA's highest level in 2020-21.

That was no small feat considering Evansville came into the game averaging 76.5 points per game.

While the overall defensive performance was stellar, the most commendable aspect of the job Bellarmine did on Evansville was shutting out Abby Feit. A first-team All-MVC selection last season and preseason All-MVC pick this year, the guard/forward was held scoreless while finishing 0-for-6 from the field after entering the contest averaging nearly 16 points per game.

"We watched (Feit) last year get 18 boards on us and a double-double, and I felt like we should have won the game last year," Dugan said. "We've just got to learn how to win, and we're starting to see it."

Playing the first of five straight home games, Bellarmine set the tone literally from the opening tip, as freshman center Gracie Merkle batted the jump ball to freshman guard Jayla Butler for a layup only four seconds into the game. It was a quick lead — and one that the Knights would never relinquish.

Freshman guard Miyah Brown converted a steal into a basket as Bellarmine led 16-6 a little over seven minutes into the contest. Junior forward Lucy Robertson buried a 3-pointer to beat the shot clock and junior guard Claire Knies followed with a jumper as the Knights' advantage ballooned to 17 in the second quarter before a 30-15 cushion at halftime.

Evansville cut its deficit to nine early in the third quarter, but Bellarmine promptly answered with a 12-2 run capped by a lay-in from Merkle that essentially put the game away.

Bellarmine limited Evansville to nine points apiece in the first and third quarters and only six in the second period. The Knights held the Aces to 28.6-percent shooting from the floor, including 11.1 percent (1-for-9) from 3-point range. Bellarmine also outrebounded Evansville 49-35.

"I thought that our aggressiveness and intensity is what carried us through," Dugan said. "Our rebounding the basketball, yet again, is something that has been a big difference."

Merkle, the reigning ASUN Player and Freshman of the Week, collected her fifth straight double-double and sixth of the season after registering 15 points on 6-for-9 shooting and 11 rebounds. Sophomore guard Hayley Harrison paced the Knights with a game-high 17 points on 7-for-12 shooting and corralled a career-high eight rebounds.

Senior forwards Sheniqua Coatney and Cam Browning hauled in eight and seven rebounds, respectively. Butler chipped in eight points while Brown tallied six rebounds, three assists and three steals.

Bellarmine will host Franklin at 6:30 p.m. (ET) Monday.

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