LOUISVILLE, Ky- The Jacksonville men's basketball team nearly completed a 19 point comeback against Bellarmine, but ultimately fell to the Knights 69-63 on Saturday afternoon.

The Dolphins (10-11, 1-6 ASUN) outscored the Knights by 13 in the second half, but the first half deficit proved to be too much to overcome as Bellarmine escaped with the win late.
 
The first half versus the second half was a completely different JU, as the Dolphins had looks but couldn't get many to fall in the opening 20. That included Jacksonville shooting 31.8% from the field in the first half, compared to 55.6% in the second. The second half also saw JU force nine turnovers compared to two in the first half.
 
Jacksonville came out of the gates in the second half with the intent to do the improbable and opened up the first three minutes on a 6-0 run to make it a 13-point game. As the Dolphins clawed themselves back into the game, they got contributions from across the floor, and Freedom Hall, the temporary home of the Bellarmine Knights, was silent for the first 10 minutes of the second half as JU opened on a total run of 23-8, with Robert McCray V scoring 10 during that stretch alone. Zach Bell had a steal and score with 13 minutes in the half to get JU within six, much to the delight of the JU bench, and momentum was soaring for the Dolphins. Jarius Cook then hit a triple to cancel out a short Knights burst and get the deficit back to four. Gyasi Powell then answered his teammate and sunk a three-ball after Cook secured a steal on the defensive side to make it a one-point game with just over seven minutes left in the contest.
 
After a Bellarmine three-pointer, McCray hit back-to-back two-point jumpers to tie the game, with Stephon Payne III picking up a screen assist. Payne then hit one of two free throws shortly after for JU to take its first lead of the game with 4:30 to play. The Knights' offense went on a quick 7-4 run from the time JU had the lead until there was roughly one minute left in the game. With the Dolphins down by as much as five, Bellarmine then canceled out any JU buckets from the charity stripe, sinking five consecutive, and six of seven, to extend its lead to six with 19 seconds to play.
 
McCray showed out with 23 points on nearly 70% shooting, and Powell had a season-high in rebounds. While JU completely flipped a switch in the second half, the 19-point mountain to overcome proved to be too steep, and Bellarmine escaped with the victory, its first of the conference season.

UP NEXT

Jacksonville returns home for just the third time in eight games on Wednesday, January 31 against Austin Peay. Tipoff is slated for 7pm and the game can be streamed on ESPN+, or heard on 1010XL.
 
NUMBERS YOU SHOULD KNOW

• Jacksonville has used 13 different starting lineups this season, the third most nationally.
• Gyasi Powell had a season high six rebounds, he fell one short of his career high of seven.
• McCray has recorded at least 20 points eight times this season.