FLORENCE, Al. – Playing in its final road game of the regular season, the Bellarmine University men's basketball team battled for 40 minutes, but was unable to overtake North Alabama, falling 73-68 at CB&S Bank Arena on Wednesday night.

The Knights (11-18, 6-11 ASUN) had their worst night from behind the arc of the season, making just three shots from deep while shooting 20%. The three made threes is a new season low for Bellarmine while its 20% mark is tied for the second lowest of the season. BU has made seven or more threes in each of its last ten games while making 11+ in half. The Knights had also shot above .500 from beyond the arc in each of the last ten games.

Senior Jack Karasinski continues to light up the scorebook, putting up a game-high 23 points while also leading the team with five rebounds. It is the fourth consecutive game Karasinski has scored 23 or more points and the sixth time in the last seven games for the ASUN's leading scorer. Fellow senior Brian Waddell reached double figures for the third straight game, contributing 11 points on 5-of-8 shooting. Redshirt sophomore Kenyon Goodin also contributed double-digits, adding 12 points, 10 of which came in the second half.

North Alabama (9-19, 4-13 ASUN) sent its seniors out on a high note, winning the final home game of the season. UNA shot above its season averages, hitting 47% of its shots from the field and 33% from deep. The Lions had four players with 15+ points, including seniors Donte Bacchus and Dallas Howell. Bacchus led the team with 20 points and 13 rebounds while Howell added 18 points. Redshirt junior Corneilous Williams also turned in a double-double with 17 points and 10 boards. Freshman Cortez Graham-Howard rounded out the group with 15 points and six rebounds.

The Knights started the game on top, scoring the first two baskets for a 4-0 lead. Unfortunately, that would be Bellarmine's largest lead of the game, and it quickly vanished as UNA got into a rhythm after starting with back-to-back turnovers on their opening possessions.

UNA finally overtook Bellarmine with just over seven minutes remaining in the first half and never looked back. North Alabama climbed to an eight-point lead, its largest of the night, with 2:47 left in the first.

Bellarmine fought back to get within five at the end of the opening stanza before making its first four shot attempts of the second half to tie the game at 40-37.

The Lions regained control from there but never really pulled away as Bellarmine continued to fight. There were three ties and three lead changes in the second half as both teams were dead even, scoring 39 points apiece. As the game came down to the wire, Bellarmine got within three, thanks to a catch and shoot three out of the hands of Goodin off an inbound play, but that was as close as the Knights would get with North Alabama eventually winning by five at 73-68.

Up next, Bellarmine will close out the regular season at home, celebrating senior day against Austin Peay in Knights Hall on Saturday, February 28.

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