MEN'S BASKETBALL: Scouting Bellarmine

Bellarmine University has not risen to near the top of the national rankings in Division II for no reason.

The Knights come into Tuesday evening's NCAA Division II Midwest Region championship game with Ferris State University with a record of 29-2 overall and ranked second in the nation. Bellarmine punched its ticket to the regional title game with an 87-82 win over Northern Kentucky University on Sunday in the semifinal round before a packed house on their home floor (Knights Hall ... where the championship game will be played on Tuesday night).

Bellarmine lost to St. Catharine on Dec. 29 by a score of 79-74 and dropped a 94-86 decision to Kentucky Wesleyan on Feb. 19. That's it for losses this season.

The team's top scorer is Jeremy Kendle, who averages 17 points per game. Braydon Hobbs, Chris Dowe and Justin Benedetti average 13 points apiece while Luke Sprague averages 10.4 points.

The team rebounds by committee with a bunch of players averaging four to five rebounds.

Hobbs is the top assist man with 208 on the season. Interestingly enough, he ranks second on the team with 20 blocked shots and leads the team with 53 steals.