LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Bellarmine men's basketball team looked well on its way to its first victory of the season on Wednesday night in Knights' Hall. After erasing a first-half deficit to rival USI to take a one-point lead to the locker room at halftime, Bellarmine got it going after the break.
The Knights went on a 14-0 lead early in the half to go up 50-35, and at the midway point of the second half led by 19 points.
Then things fell apart. Bellarmine had seven turnovers and only three made field goals over the final 10 minutes. USI tied the game on a corner three by Jayland Randall with 50.8 seconds left, then won it on a Jack Campion jumper in the lane with 1.4 seconds to play, and the Screaming Eagles celebrated a 71-69 win.
Knights coach Scott Davenport is rarely at a loss for words, but had few after his team went just 3 for its last 11 after USI ramped up its pressure down the stretch.
"All they did was become more aggressive, and when they become more aggressive you've got to be more aggressive to the rim," Davenport said. "But we backed up on our heels and they became the aggressor. And when they became the aggressor, game over."
Bellarmine’s Dezmond McKinney drives for a basket during the Knights’ 71-69 loss to USI on Nov. 13, 2024.
Bellarmine got 18 points on 7-11 shooting from Jack Karasinski. Ben Johnson added 12 points but needed 4-14 shooting (2-9 from three-point range) to get them. Billy Smith added 10 points.
The Knights had just three turnovers in the first half and 13 for the game, but they came at the worst possible times, and USI turned them into 19 points. Bellarmine scored just 12 points off turnovers.
USI was led by Randall with 21 points, while Stephen Olowoniyi added 14 points and six rebounds.
Bellarmine has shown it is capable of stretches of effective play this season, it has also been prone to long lapses in its past couple of games. It was outscored 30-9 over six minutes of the first half Monday in a loss to VMI, a stretch Davenport called, "the worst six minutes of my career."
The last 10 minutes Wednesday were no picnic, either.
"To get outscored 21 points at home with 10:09 to go," Davenport said, trailing off. "My question is, I saw us fight for 40 minutes at VCU. It's puzzling. But welcome to coaching."
Next up for Bellarmine is a trip to Marshall on Saturday. The Thundering Herd is 2-1 and is coming off a 77-63 win over USI.
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