LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The Bellarmine University women's basketball team will begin a four-game Atlantic Sun Conference homestand by welcoming North Florida to Knights Hall at 6:30 p.m. (ET) Thursday before hosting Jacksonville at 2 p.m. Saturday.
The four-game homestretch is Bellarmine's longest of the season, and the matchups pit the Knights against the ASUN's Florida schools. BU (13-8, 4-4 ASUN) will follow its contests against North Florida (4-17, 0-8) and Jacksonville (10-10, 4-4) by taking on FGCU and Stetson next week in Knights Hall.
ABOUT NORTH FLORIDA
North Florida is seeking its first ASUN win. The Ospreys have been close, falling in single digits three times during conference action, including last week's home losses to Queens, 84-81, and West Georgia, 79-71. Guard Jazmine Spencer is UNF's leading scorer (10.9) and ranks second in the ASUN in total steals (39) and eighth in total 3-pointers made (39), the latter of which is just behind guard Jamisyn Stinson, who is tied for sixth in triples made (42). Forward Jasmynne Gibson is the league's fifth-leading rebounder (7.7).
ABOUT JACKSONVILLE
Jacksonville will play Thursday at Eastern Kentucky prior to its showdown with Bellarmine. The Dolphins are riding a three-game winning streak after a home sweep last week of West Georgia, 87-74, and Queens, 83-76. Guard Edyn Battle has missed some time in ASUN play due to injury but has returned with a vengeance, racking up 22 points or more in the last four conference games, including a 31-point outburst against Lipscomb. Her 21.4 points per game scoring average ranks first in the league. Jacksonville also boasts the ASUN's leading rebounder in forward Saniyah Craig (10.4), who is coming off 22- and 25-point performances against the Wolves and Royals and averages 10.8 points per game.
LAST WEEK
Bellarmine concluded a season-long four-game road swing by regrouping after an 80-63 loss at reigning ASUN champion FGCU with a 67-52 victory at Stetson. In the win over the Hatters, the Knights allowed their fewest points in conference action and had their biggest rebounding advantage (+9). BU bookended the game with huge runs, as the Knights raced out to a 13-2 lead and then closed the contest on a 14-0 run.
ASUN STANDINGS
With 10 ASUN games remaining in the regular season, Bellarmine is in a four-way tie for fifth in the standings at 4-4. FGCU (8-0) is the lone undefeated team. Central Arkansas is next at 7-1, with its lone conference loss coming against the Knights. Lipscomb is in third at 6-2 and Austin Peay follows at 5-3 before the logjam of 4-4 squads that also includes Jacksonville, Stetson and North Alabama. The ASUN Tournament consists of 10 teams. Last season, the minimum number of wins for a qualifying team was five. Right now, eight squads have earned four conference wins or more.
CUSP OF MORE RECORDS
Bellarmine has set several D1-era program records this season, which include 13 overall wins, nine nonconference wins, six road wins and a six-game winning streak (Nov. 21-Dec. 12). The Knights are knocking on the door of a few others: They're one win away from tying their D1-era record for ASUN victories (five, three times), and one win away from tying their D1-era pinnacle for home victories (seven, 2022-23). BU is 6-2 in Knights Hall this season.
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