Smith leads Bellarmine against FGCU after 20-point showing

Florida Gulf Coast Eagles (10-9, 5-1 ASUN) at Bellarmine Knights (3-16, 0-6 ASUN)

Louisville, Kentucky; Thursday, 6:30 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Eagles -11; over/under is 141.5

BOTTOM LINE: Bellarmine takes on FGCU after Billy Smith scored 20 points in Bellarmine's 72-69 loss to the Eastern Kentucky Colonels.

The Knights are 3-6 on their home court. Bellarmine is ninth in the ASUN scoring 70.6 points while shooting 45.7% from the field.

The Eagles are 5-1 in conference matchups. FGCU ranks sixth in the ASUN scoring 31.2 points per game in the paint led by Keeshawn Kellman averaging 9.4.

Bellarmine scores 70.6 points per game, 2.8 more points than the 67.8 FGCU allows. FGCU averages 70.0 points per game, 10.1 fewer points than the 80.1 Bellarmine allows to opponents.

The matchup Thursday is the first meeting this season between the two teams in conference play.

TOP PERFORMERS: Smith averages 2.4 made 3-pointers per game for the Knights, scoring 13.7 points while shooting 40.0% from beyond the arc. Jack Karasinski is averaging 16.1 points over the past 10 games.

Rahmir Barno is averaging 8.4 points, 3.8 assists and 1.7 steals for the Eagles. Dallion Johnson is averaging 14.2 points and 2.2 rebounds while shooting 38.0% over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Knights: 1-9, averaging 68.1 points, 27.1 rebounds, 14.0 assists, 5.3 steals and 1.4 blocks per game while shooting 44.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 80.7 points per game.

Eagles: 7-3, averaging 74.7 points, 32.3 rebounds, 14.7 assists, 6.1 steals and 2.3 blocks per game while shooting 47.4% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 68.6 points.

___

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.