CLARKSVILLE, Tenn.—The Bellarmine Knights stormed out of the gates and never let up, holding on for a wire-to-wire, 56-45 ASUN Conference road win over Austin Peay on Thursday night at the Winfield-Dunn Center.
Bellarmine scored the game's first 12 points and continued to play solid defense and rebound the basketball in keeping the Governors at bay.
The Knights hit five of their first seven shots, but cooled off considerably as the game evolved into a defensive battle. Bellarmine finished just 20 of 51 from the field for 39 percent shooting, but the Knights' defense held APSU to just 36 percent on 16 of 45 shooting.
Perhaps the most telling statistic came in the rebounding department, where Bellarmine owned a 36-25 advantage, including a 9-2 edge on the offensive glass.
"They (APSU) miss 29 shots and got two offensive rebounds, that's the game right there," said Bellarmine Coach
Scott Davenport. "What I did just after the game, I put on the board nine, four, five, four, five, four. Those are (our individual) rebounding totals, and that's the way we have to rebound."
Bellarmine graduate student
Juston Betz led all scorers with 13 points, and BU sophomore
Curt Hopf tied his career high with nine rebounds to lead the Knights' effort.
Davenport lauded several individuals for their play including the role that
Landin Hacker and
Langdon Hatton played off the bench. He also singled out
Alec Pfriem and Betz. "
Alec Pfriem, you look (at the box score) and the kid goes one for four, but then you look and he has five rebounds and five assists, and that's the way we have to play." Davenport added, "
Juston Betz is one unbelievable basketball player. He's an amazing young man; he's an incredible leader, but his play on the floor is … just amazing."
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Austin Peay's Guy Fauntleroy came off the bench to score 10 points to lead the Governors, who fell to 8-12 overall and 2-5 in their inaugural season in ASUN play.
Bellarmine ran its ASUN road record to 3-0 on the season and improved to 9-11 (4-3 ASUN) on the season. The Knights will remain in Tennessee for a Saturday matchup in Nashville with Lipscomb, who defeated Eastern Kentucky on Thursday to improve to 12-8, 4-3 ASUN.
POSTGAME COMMENTS:
