NKU etched another chapter into the storied rivalry with the Bellarmine Knights that began with their Division II battles. The Norse traveled to Knights Hall on Saturday for the 82nd meeting between the teams. The action was back and forth, as the lead changed hands many times before NKU gained control in the second half and held on for an 80-76 victory.
The Knights began the game with the hot hand. Layups and free throws from Michael Wilson and Jack Karasinski gave Bellarmine an early 12-5 advantage. Triples from Tae Dozier and Kael Robinson helped NKU reclaim the lead only four minutes in. The next few minutes resulted in two lead changes and two ties. Kenyon Goodin made a pair of contested layups for the Knights, and NKU responded with baskets from LJ Wells and Donovan Oday.
BU continued to attack inside with three paint scores. Northern Kentucky had three paint scores of their own, but the difference of the stretch was a Robinson three pointer that gave the Norse a slim edge of one point with eight minutes left in the opening half. NKU went on a 7-2 run from that point behind floaters from Oday and Dan Gherezgher, and a layup from Oday to force a timeout from Bellarmine.
Another triple from Dozier and consecutive layups from Gherezgher and Oday handed the Norse the first double digit lead of the game. The momentum seemed on the side of Northern Kentucky, but Bellarmine did not let the run get out of control. Goodin and Sam Donald made back to back shots from range and Myles Watkins added a bank shot to cut it to four. One last basket gave NKU a six point lead heading into the half.
Both teams shot well in the opening half, both shooting over 50% overall. The real difference was NKU’s ability to force turnovers and convert off of them. They forced 10 turnovers and turned that into 14 points.
Unlike the first half, NKU began the second half with the hot hand. Three of the first field goals came for the visiting team as they increased their lead back to double digits. A Robinson post score and three pointer forced another Knights timeout as NKU went up 14 points and pushed it to 16 on a Wells layup.
Wells knocked down a jumper from deep to give the Norse their largest lead of the day at 18. Bellarmine trimmed the lead back down to 10 before Dozier converted on a couple of opportunities that gave his team a 14 point lead and him 1,000 career points. The 69-55 NKU lead was evaporated as a 9-0 run for BU had the Knights in arms’ reach.
Wells converted a couple more times in the paint and Gherezgher forced a steal and finished with a slam to put NKU back up by 12. Bellarmine continued to refuse to go away. Karasinski connected on an inside and perimeter score before Goodin free throws shrunk the lead back down to five. Elliot and Oday failed to convert the front end of one-and-ones on consecutive possessions, allowing Bellarmine to stay in it.
Down the stretch, Goodin got a chance to cut the lead down to a one possession game but failed to hit on his fading three pointer over two defenders as time ticked away. NKU struggled on the day from the charity stripe, only shooting 8-17, but was able to ice the game there as Bellarmine’s comeback efforts fell just short.
Gherezgher paced the NKU guards with 17 points. He was a big part of the Norse forcing 18 turnovers and turning that into 23 points. Wells paced the NKU forwards with 17 points of his own. He helped NKU control the paint and give Northern Kentucky a 44-32 edge inside.
NKU improves to 9-3 on the season and 8-2 in non-conference play. Northern Kentucky will look to make it three wins in a row on Wednesday as they return to Truist Arena and Horizon League play to face the Oakland Golden Grizzlies. The game will be at 7 p.m. and can be seen on ESPN+.
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