BOX SCORE
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - The Bellarmine Knights defeated BYU-Hawaii on Saturday afternoon 71-68 to win the 2011 NCAA Division II Men's Basketball National Championship. Jeremy Kendle and Chris Dowe each scored 16 points and Luke Sprague added a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Knights to the school's first national title.
Bellarmine (33-2) survived a 21-point first-half outburst from tournament Most Outstanding Player Jet Chang of the Seasiders and took a 47-43 advantage at the break.
The Knights, after surrendering the lead briefly in the early going of the second half, took a 49-48 lead with 17:21 to play on a bucket by Justin Benedetti. The senior forward who finished with 15 points provided a lead that Bellarmine would not surrender as senior Nick Holmes iced the game with a clutch rebound and ensuing free throw to seal the decision with 2.1 seconds to play.
Bellarmine shot 44 percent from the field, outscored BYU-Hawaii 22-12 in the paint and outrebounded the Seasiders, 40-34.
Chang finished with a game-high 35 points for BYU-Hawaii (22-9) and was joined on the All-Tournament Team by Kendle and Benedetti.
Bellarmine, who was the 12th GLVC team to earn a trip to the national final in the past 18 years, earned the school's first NCAA national title and became the third GLVC team to win the men's basketball championship.
The Knights join Kentucky Wesleyan (8 championships) and Southern Indiana (1995) as GLVC teams have now combined for 10 NCAA Division II Men's Basketball Championships.
Further Coverage of the Bellarmine National Championship
(Includes video clips from Springfield, Mass.)
Bellarmine Recap
NCAA.com
Louisville Courier-Journal