LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Despite a game-high 19 points from junior guard Jaela Johnson, the Bellarmine University women's basketball team fell 72-65 to Kennesaw State in ASUN action Saturday in Freedom Hall.

Johnson sank 6-of-11 shots, including three from downtown, for Bellarmine (3-18, 0-10 ASUN), which posted its second-highest scoring output in conference play and wore pink uniforms in the Play4Kay Game. Sophomore guard Mackenzie Keelin tallied 10 points and seven rebounds against the Owls (7-13, 3-6), while senior guard Kathleen Scott distributed five assists and sophomore forward Lucy Robertson notched six rebounds.

While Kennesaw State led for the majority of the game, it was close throughout, with the Owls' biggest advantage coming at nine. In the fourth, senior guard Presley Brown buried a 3-pointer with 5:08 left to cut the deficit to 62-58.

However, Bellarmine then went scoreless for nearly three minutes, and Kennesaw State was able to push its lead back to nine. The Knights never got closer than seven over the final few minutes, as Amani Johnson paced the Owls with 16 points and five assists and Alexis Poole added 12 points.

"We had stops. We've just got to keep playing through," Knights Coach Chancellor Dugan said. "We've got to be a little tougher, and we've got to coach them up and keep sticking with it and it will click one of these days."

Kennesaw State shot 48.3 percent to the 41 percent of Bellarmine. The Owls owned a 41-30 rebounding advantage, with six of their 15 offensive boards coming in the fourth quarter.

"We cannot continue to shoot ourselves in the foot," Dugan said. "I thought everybody played solid. Midway through the fourth, I think they had nine offensive rebounds and ended up with 15. You just can't win basketball games when teams are getting 15 offensive rebounds on you."

Bellarmine had a solid start, with Johnson sinking a 3-pointer to provide the Knights an 8-4 lead. Kennesaw State would hold a 13-10 advantage after one and 34-29 edge at halftime. The Owls were up 54-47 heading into the fourth.

Bellarmine will play at 11 a.m. (ET) Wednesday at North Florida.

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