LOUISVILLE, Ky.-The No. 22/24 Bellarmine Knights will open Great Lakes Valley Conference play this week by hosting Illinois Springfield and McKendree on Thursday night and Saturday afternoon. The McKendree game will be featured nationally on ESPN 3, and Bellarmine is celebrating the exposure with several incentives and special events for fans.
On Thursday, the Knights welcome the Prairie Stars of Illinois Springfield, who enter with a 3-3 mark on the season. Just six games into the season, Bellarmine and UIS have just one common opponent-the University of Findlay. The Prairie Stars took an 82-80 victory over the Oilers back on Nov. 14 in the “Las Vegas Showdown” event while the Knights dropped a 70-69 decision at Findlay on Nov. 24.
Jamall Millison is the only Prairie Star averaging in double digits, and the 6-2 senior guard is putting up 12.2 points a game. However, Coach Bill Walker has been using his bench liberally this season as 10 different players are averaging over 14 minutes of playing time per game.
Last season, BU and UIS met just once in Springfield with the Knights winning 80-60. In that game, Bellarmine blistered the nets with 66 percent shooting for the game as seniors Jake Thelen and Chris Whitehead combined to hit 19 of 21 shots and scored 43 total points. Among returning players, George Suggs posted 11 points and two blocks and Rusty Troutman and Josh Derksen had eight points apiece. For UIS, Millison led the way with 22 points with Mark Weems, who is now a junior, adding 14.
The Bearcats of McKendree are starting their first GLVC road trip undefeated on the season after winning their first four regular season games. Legendary coach Hank Statham, who is the all-time wins leader in men’s college basketball, has upped his career wins total to 1,092 with the 4-0 start.
Statham is getting production from all areas-especially from beyond the arc-as six different players are averaging in double digits. The Bearcats are fifth in the nation in 3-point field goals per game at 12.0 per contest, and they are putting up 96.5 points per game, which ranks ninth in the nation for offensive production.
Top Bearcat scorers include Michael Jackson at almost 17 points a game while Brandon Book has been coming off the bench to average 16.3 points a game this season.
Last season Bellarmine and the Bearcats met just once in Lebanon, Illinois, where the Knights took an 82-63 victory. Bellarmine again shot lights-out, connecting on 60.3 percent of their shots despite going just 2-of-8 from beyond the arc.
Bellarmine continues to be led by Troutman, who is averaging 21.2 points a game while shooting 58 percent overall and 53.6 percent (15-28) from 3-point range. Yasin Kolo, the 6-10 Hartford transfer, is making his presence felt by pouring in 14 a game and hauling in a team-best 6.8 rebounds per contest.
Among the special promotions for Saturday’s doubleheader (women’s game begins at 1 p.m.) are free Bellarmine T-shirts along with vouchers for a complimentary hot dog and chips for every fan. There also will be a drawing to win a 65-inch television during the men’s game and a drawing for $1,000 prepaid Visa gift card during the women’s game. In addition, the world-famous ZOOperstars! are scheduled to perform during both games.
Other promotions-targeted for Bellarmine students-include a free pair of Bellarmine sunglasses and drawings for $500 gift certificate cards to the Bellarmine bookstore. The drawings will be held at halftime of each game.
Illinois Springfield (3-3, 0-0 GLVC) at Bellarmine (4-2, 0-0 GLVC)
Date: Thursday, December 3
Tip-off: 8 p.m. (ET)
Site: Knights Hall
Radio: WGTK AM-970
Video
Live Stats
Ticket Information
McKendree at Bellarmine
Date: Saturday, December 5
Tip-off: 3:15 p.m. (ET)
Site: Knights Hall
Radio: WGTK AM-970
Video (ESPN 3)
Live Stats
Ticket Information