Division I newcomer Bellarmine wins Atlantic Solar championship however ineligible for NCAA event

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — CJ Fleming scored a career-high 27 factors, Dylan Penn added 22 and Division I newcomer Bellarmine defeated Jacksonville 77-72 within the Atlantic Solar Convention event closing on Tuesday, handing the automated bid to the NCAA event to regular-season champion Jacksonville State.

Bellarmine will not be eligible for the NCAA event as it’s within the second of a four-year transition to Division I. In accordance with ESPN Stats & Info analysis, the Louisville, Kentucky-based college is the primary males’s staff prior to now 25 seasons to win its convention event whereas being ineligible for postseason play.

As an alternative, the Knights turned heroes in Jacksonville, Alabama. High-seeded Jacksonville State fell at residence 54-51 to the Jacksonville Dolphins on Saturday, however since Bellarmine is ineligible for the NCAA event, the Gamecocks will go dancing.

“We have made it some extent to regulate what we are able to management, and that is it,” Bellarmine senior guard Juston Betz mentioned. “We’ll proceed to be within the second and by no means take as a right the place we’re.”

Bellarmine, a current Division II energy and 2011 champion, defeated Liberty, the opposite ASUN division champion, 53-50 on the street on Saturday. Jacksonville, which joined the ASUN in 1998, was in search of its first league championship and first NCAA berth in 36 years.

Together with its Division II historical past, this marks Bellarmine’s 13th 20-win marketing campaign prior to now 14 seasons.

“It is form of surreal,” mentioned Penn, who was named event MVP. “It looks like we’re in a film. We weren’t alleged to be competing at such a excessive stage this early.”

The Knights (20-13) made 11 of 12 free throws within the final two minutes with Fleming good on eight, to carry off Jacksonville, which made 5 of eight subject objectives, two of them 3s, down the stretch.

Jordan Davis scored 22 factors for the Dolphins (21-10), who misplaced the one regular-season assembly 76-73 in time beyond regulation in the identical constructing, and Osayi Osifo and Tyreese Davis had 11 every.

Penn, Betz and Curt Hopf hit consecutive 3-pointers to present Bellarmine a 9-Four lead, and Sam DeVault added back-to-back triples because the Knights began red-hot. Penn’s layup halfway by way of the primary half made it 28-10 with the Knights going 10-of-14, seven of the hampers behind the arc.

Jacksonville battled again to get inside 36-26 on the half, regardless of going 0-of-10 from 3-point vary in comparison with 9-of-16 for Bellarmine.

The Dolphins hit six 3s within the second half and shot 50% however might get no nearer than six.

The Knights completed capturing 50% general and had been 12-of-25 from 3-point vary and 15-of-17 from the foul line.

“I do not understand how any coach at any stage of any sport may very well be extra proud than I’m,” Bellarmine coach Scott Davenport mentioned. “My spotlight of this journey is seeing this staff have a good time one another. That locker room was one of many highlights of my life.”

The Related Press contributed to this report.