Felton Spencer, a Louisville basketball legend who enjoyed an extensive career in the NBA, joined the Bellarmine University men’s basketball team as an assistant prior to the 2016-17 season.
Bellarmine extended its run of championship seasons in 2018-19. The Knights wrangled their third straight GLVC Tournament championship and posted a 28-5 record, marking a third consecutive season with at least 28 wins. Bellarmine earned its 11th straight berth in the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the Sweet 16. The Knights once again led the nation in field-goal percentage, sinking shots at a program record-tying 54.5 percent clip.
Bellarmine had yet another extraordinary season in 2017-18. The Knights finished 29-3 and captured their second GLVC Tournament title in a row while winning an outright GLVC regular-season championship for the second straight season. Spencer helped guide Bellarmine to a 10th straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
In Spencer’s first season, the Knights had a magical year. They won an outright GLVC East regular-season title and their first GLVC Tournament championship since 2011 with a 74-61 victory over Lewis in the finals. Bellarmine followed by celebrating an NCAA Midwest Region title in Knights Hall behind an 84-66 triumph over Findlay in the Sweet 16/regional final, and the Knights advanced to the Final Four in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, after a 92-72 romp over Colorado Mines in the Elite Eight.
Bellarmine finished the 2016-17 campaign at 32-4, a single win shy of the program record. The Knights went 17-1 in the GLVC to tie the best conference mark in program history. They set new program records for winning streak (19), games played (36), assists (689), 3-pointers made (312), free-throw percentage (79.0), field goals (1,031) and points (2,952).
After a standout tenure at the University of Louisville, Spencer was chosen with the sixth overall pick in the 1990 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves. In his first season, the 7-foot center was voted NBA All-Rookie Second Team after averaging 7.1 points and 7.9 rebounds while shooting 51.2 percent from the floor. Spencer played a dozen seasons in the NBA and also suited up for the Utah Jazz, Orlando Magic, Golden State Warriors, San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks.
Spencer played four seasons at Louisville from 1986-90. As a senior, he averaged 14.9 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game while shooting a near-automatic 68.1 percent from the floor. Spencer is the program’s all-time leader in career field-goal percentage (62.8) and scored 1,168 points with 694 rebounds. Before arriving at Louisville, he was an All-State player at Eastern (Ky.) High School.
