Corey Sorrell challenges the Bellarmine defense on Saturday.
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Box score
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Jeremy Kendle and Justin Benedetti combined for 38 points to lead Bellarmine to a 74-69 win against Northern Kentucky University on Saturday in front of a national television audience on CBS College Sports.
Kendle led Bellarmine with 21 points, six assists and seven rebounds, while Benedetti scored 17. The Knights shot 50 percent from the field and improved to 13-6 overall, 6-4 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Bellarmine also spoiled NKU's first-ever nationally televised home game.
David Palmer scored 15 points and grabbed 12 rebounds for NKU (10-9, 3-7 GLVC). The Norse rallied from a 16-point deficit in the first half to eventually get to within 40-39 with 15:12 remaining in the game, but Bellarmine used a late 7-0 run to pull out the win in its first trip to The Bank of Kentucky Center.
After NKU had cut the Bellarmine lead to 55-53, Benedetti drained a 3-pointer with 4:43 remaining in the game to extend the Knights' advantage to 58-53. Palmer then missed a 3-point attempt, and Benedetti converted a layup to give the Knights a 60-53 edge with 4:01 left.
Kendle struck next with a basket to give Bellarmine a commanding 62-53 advantage, and the Knights survived a late NKU rally to post the win in front of a crowd of 5,319 on hand in The Bank of Kentucky Center.
Scott Bibbins and
Dennis Gagai each scored 11 points for NKU, while
Chris Knight and
Corey Sorrell added 10 points apiece. The Norse allowed Bellarmine to shoot 59.1 percent in the first half and build a 38-28 lead at the break.
NKU made 56.7 percent of its shots from the field in the second half to make it a game, but Bellarmine was 14-for-16 at the free-throw line after intermission to hold off the Norse.
NKU owns a 43-31 lead in the all-time series against the Knights. Bellarmine, however, has won three of the past four meetings.
NKU hits the road for a game against GLVC newcomer Illinois-Springfield on Thursday night, and concludes the trip Saturday afternoon with a contest at Saint Joseph's.
