River States Conference

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The IU Southeast men's basketball team won a thriller on Saturday evening, upsetting the Bellarmine University Knights (NCAA Division II) 87-80 on the road in Louisville, Ky. in the Fern Valley Hotel Classic.

The No. 7-ranked (NAIA Division II) Grenadiers defeated Bellarmine University in a tough road environment on Saturday to earn its biggest win of the team's 2009 campaign. Bellarmine University was ranked No. 1 in the NCAA Division II preseason rankings and recently fell just outside of the top-25.

IU Southeast (9-3, 1-0 KIAC) was led by junior Jazzmarr Ferguson (Louisville, Ky. / Moore H.S.) with a career-high and game-high 35 points with three rebounds and three assists. Senior Carlos Mitchell (Louisville, Ky.) scored 16 points with five assists and three steals. Craig Bryant (New Albany, Ind.) and Rick Bodiford (Louisville, Ky.) rounded out double-digit scores for the Grenadiers with 13 and 10 points respectively. Mitchell led all rebounders for the Grenadiers with five total rebounds.

The Grenadiers shot 55-percent from field goal range (32-of-58) and 56-percent from behind the 3-pt. arc (12-of-23). IU Southeast connected on 10 of its 11 free-throw attempts (91-percent) and had 18 of its 87 points come from off the bench.

IU Southeast led by two points at halftime, 43-41.

The Bellarmine Knights (5-4) were led by Nick Holmes with 24 points, six rebounds and a block. Providence graduate Justin Benedetti recorded a double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds. Jeremy Kendle added 16 points with nine rebounds for the Knights.

Bellarmine shot 43-percent from the field and 21-percent from beyond the arc with 13 of their 80 total points coming off the bench. Bellarmine also won the battle in the paint, outscoring the Grenadiers 40-24 under the basket.

IU Southeast stole the ball for a total of nine times, scoring 16 points off Bellarmine turnovers. IU Southeast was out-rebounded 37 to 28. The Grenadiers' hot shooting all night led them to victory.

The IU Southeast men's basketball team will travel to St. Catharine College on Wednesday, Dec. 16 for a 1 p.m. game against the Patriots. The game will be a rematch of the Grenadiers' 71-70 defeat of St. Catharine in overtime.

The IU Southeast men will then break for the holidays before hosting Cincinnati Christian College at 7 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 28.

Doors open at 5 p.m. on Monday night (Dec. 28). Ticket prices for the event are $7 for adult general admission and free of charge for children 12 years old or younger. IU Southeast season tickets can also be purchased at the door for $25.

Final Box Score