After taking a 36-28 lead early in the second half, the Eagles were outscored 40-21 throughout the final 18 minutes of the game to put USI’s NCAA II Tournament chances in question.
USI (20-9), which was ranked No. 6 in the final regular-season Midwest Region Rankings, went just 8-of-31 (.258) from the field and 1-of-8 (.125) from three-point range during the final 18 minutes.
Bellarmine (16-11), meanwhile, was 13-of-24 (.542) from the field, 4-of-8 (.500) from three-point range and 10-of-13 (.769) from the free throw line during the final 18 minutes as it rallied from a second-half deficit to defeat the Eagles for the second time this year—USI had a double-digit halftime lead before falling to the Knights, 66-61, in Louisville, Kentucky, last month.
Early in the game, it was the Eagles who overcame a pair of five-point deficits to jump out to a four-point halftime lead. USI used a 10-4 run to close the second quarter with a 32-28 advantage at the intermission.
The Eagles scored four quick points to open the second half and looked to be in cruise control as Bellarmine called an early timeout after trimming USI’s lead to 36-30 with a bucket. The Knights got a steal after the break and a quick three-pointer; then scored five straight points, after a basket by sophomore forward Imani Guy (Columbus, Indiana), to tie the score at 38-38.
After a pair of Guy free throws put the Eagles up 40-38, the Knights scored six straight points to take a 44-40 lead they would not relinquish. Bellarmine pushed its lead 49-45 at the end of three quarters and led by six less than 10 seconds into the fourth quarter.
The Knights used a 5-1 run to extend their lead to eight moments later and, after a three-pointer by sophomore guard Emma DeHart (Indianapolis, Indiana) cut USI’s deficit to five with three minutes to play, t
