The Bellarmine University women’s basketball team is set for its first road week in Atlantic Sun Conference play, with upcoming games against Central Arkansas and North Alabama. The Knights will face Central Arkansas on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET (6:30 CT) and then travel to North Alabama for a Saturday matchup at 3 p.m. (2 CT).
Central Arkansas enters the week with an 8-6 overall record and a 1-1 mark in ASUN play. The Sugar Bears have been runners-up in the ASUN Tournament for the past two seasons and were picked second in the conference’s preseason coaches’ poll. They recently lost to FGCU but opened conference action with a win over Stetson. Central Arkansas leads the ASUN in defensive field-goal percentage (.343) and turnover margin (plus-5.29), while ranking second in scoring defense (57.9 points allowed per game). Bree Stephens, last season’s ASUN Defensive Player of the Year, continues to be a key contributor, averaging 11.8 points per game along with strong rebounding and defensive statistics.
North Alabama holds a 5-8 record overall and is looking to end a five-game losing streak after opening conference play with losses to FGCU and Stetson. Forward Sofia Ceppellotti leads the Lions in both scoring (11.8 points per game) and rebounding (5.9 per game), while guard Alexsandra Alvarado averages 10.8 points.
Central Arkansas has won five of seven meetings against Bellarmine, with each team winning once last season; Bellarmine claimed a regular-season victory before falling to Central Arkansas in the ASUN Tournament quarterfinals. North Alabama leads its series against Bellarmine 8-1 since both teams joined Division I, including a narrow overtime win last season.
Bellarmine will also host both opponents later this season, welcoming Central Arkansas on February 14 and North Alabama on February 18.
The Knights began their ASUN schedule with two home losses—falling to Queens by a score of 58-46 after staying within six points late into the contest, followed by a defeat against West Georgia where they trailed from the second quarter onward.
Injuries have limited Bellarmine’s roster depth recently, forcing them to compete with only seven or eight available players over their last ten games.
Individually, Rose Jamison has recorded her three highest-scoring games of the season during the past four contests, highlighted by a 20-point performance against Arizona and back-to-back 17-point outings versus Notre Dame and West Georgia. Kayce Hyman achieved new career-high scoring marks in each of her last two appearances, while Rachel Shropshire notched personal bests in both points (11) and rebounds (six) against West Georgia. Ava Smith registered her seventh double-digit scoring effort of the year in that same game.
Fans can follow more coverage of Bellarmine athletics on Twitter (@BUKnights), Instagram (BUKnights), and Facebook (BUKnights).
