The Bellarmine Knights narrowly defeated the Eastern Kentucky Colonels 72-71 in a thrilling matchup at Freedom Hall in Louisville, Kentucky on January 26th, 2023.
The game was tightly contested from the start, with the Colonels holding a 36-35 lead at halftime. However, the Knights stepped up their game in the second half, outscoring Eastern Kentucky 37-35 to secure the victory.
Juston Betz led the way for the Knights with 18 points, while Garrett Tipton and Alec Pfriem chipped in with 13 and 12 points respectively. Peter Suder also had a strong game, pulling down 11 rebounds to go along with his 10 points.
For the Colonels, Michael Moreno was the top scorer with 21 points, while Isaiah Cozart and Tayshawn Comer added 12 and 10 points respectively. Cooper Robb also had a solid performance, grabbing 3 rebounds and scoring 9 points.
The game featured several lead changes, with the score being tied 0 times. The Knights were able to secure the win thanks to their strong play in the paint, scoring 22 points in the paint compared to Eastern Kentucky’s 18. Bellarmine also had a strong performance on the boards, outrebounding the Colonels 34-22.
The Colonels had a strong performance from the 3 point line with 10-31, but couldn’t convert enough of their 2 point shots, hitting only 14-28. Knights, on the other hand, were efficient from 2 point range with 14-28 and from 3 point range with 8-18
Despite the loss, Eastern Kentucky can take solace in their solid overall record of 13-9 and 6-3 in conference play. The Colonels will look to bounce back in their next game, while the Knights will try to build on this victory as they push towards the post-season.
The game was attended by 3842 fans who witnessed an intense and closely contested game, which was ultimately decided by a single point. The Knights’ victory over the Colonels was a testament to their determination and resilience, and they will look to carry that momentum into their next game.
