Box Score

The UW-Parkside men's basketball team fell to Bellarmine on Saturday afternoon in Louisville, 99-69. The defending Division II National Champions used a pair of big runs in the second half to pull away from a game Ranger squad.

Bellarmine improved to 16-1 overall and 8-1 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Rangers dropped below .500 for the first time this at 8-9 (1-8 GLVC).

Jeremy Saffold led four players in double figures with 17 points. Colt Grandstaff (making his first start of the year), Conrad Krutwig, and Leneal Harris all finished with 13 points.

The Rangers gave the Knights all they could handle over the first 20 minutes as the two teams traded blows. A jumper by Ziggy Riauka and a Krutwig three-pointer with 9:12 left in the half gave UW-Parkside a 28-23 lead.

Bellarmine put together a late first half run capped off by a Chris Dowe lay-up just prior to the horn. That sent the Knights to the locker room with a 45-39 lead.

A Grandstaff fastbreak lay-up and a three by Saffold cut the lead to 49-45 a couple minutes into the second half.

The Knights responded with a 10-2 run to push the margin to double digits. The Rangers could get no closer as Bellarmine pulled away with another prolonged spurt.

The Knights, who entered the game ranked second in the country, will likely resume their status as the nation's number one ranked team in the new poll.

The Rangers shot 38.7% from the floor but the Knights countered by shooting 59.7% including a 11-for-24 showing from three-point range.

Parkside will return to the DeSimone Gymnasium on Thursday night as they host Saint Joseph's College. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.