LOUISVILLE – The whistles blew early and often inside Freedom Hall on Saturday as the host Knights survived a tough challenge that saw Jacksonville State fall 71-64.
 
Between 50 fouls and 51 total free throws in the game, Bellarmine (11-14, 7-5 ASUN) held on to hand the Gamecocks (10-15, 3-9 ASUN) their second tough setback of the weekend. With six regular-season games remaining, Jax State has work to do in the league standings and will meet ASUN leaders Liberty and Kennesaw State on three more occasions.
 
Marcellus Brigham Jr. poured in 12 first-half points to lead JSU early on his way to a team-high 16 overall. Senior Skyelar Potter also notched double figures late to finish with a dozen points.
 
An early three by Potter made it a 5-0 Gamecock lead, but the two sides would go back-and-forth throughout the first 20 minutes. The Knights held a slim advantage for most of the final minutes leading up to halftime, but a short jumper from Amanze Ngumezi in the final seconds made it a 29-28 JSU lead at intermission.
 
Notably, the Knights held leading scorer Demaree King without a first-half bucket as the Gamecocks' outside threat failed to find the bottom of the net until late in the second stanza.
 
JSU and BU swapped the lead five times and tied one another five more times through 30 minutes of action. Midway in the second the fouls began to pile up and the Knights extended a 40-39 lead to double digits by the 10-minute mark. The lead grew to as many as 16, and while the Gamecocks continued to fight to climb back into the contest, the Knights continued to earn trips to the stripe where they finished 20-for-25 to nullify any late Jax State charge.
 
King eventually struck from deep, along with Travis Roberts, but the efforts weren't enough to rally back on the road.