North Alabama hosts Bellarmine after Lane's 20-point performance

Updated Jan. 1, 2025 3:43 a.m. ET

Associated Press

Bellarmine Knights (3-10) at North Alabama Lions (8-5)

Florence, Alabama; Thursday, 7 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: North Alabama takes on Bellarmine after Jacari Lane scored 20 points in North Alabama's 85-69 loss to the Loyola Marymount Lions.

The Lions have gone 5-1 at home. North Alabama ranks second in the ASUN with 37.2 points per game in the paint led by Corneilous Williams averaging 7.0.

The Knights are 0-7 on the road. Bellarmine ranks fourth in the ASUN with 15.5 assists per game led by Billy Smith averaging 2.6.

North Alabama is shooting 45.3% from the field this season, 2.9 percentage points lower than the 48.2% Bellarmine allows to opponents. Bellarmine averages 72.8 points per game, 0.6 more than the 72.2 North Alabama allows to opponents.

The Lions and Knights meet Thursday for the first time in ASUN play this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Daniel Ortiz is shooting 32.7% from beyond the arc with 2.6 made 3-pointers per game for the Lions, while averaging 10.1 points.

Ben Johnson is shooting 39.9% and averaging 12.5 points for the Knights.

LAST 10 GAMES: Lions: 5-5, averaging 76.2 points, 31.9 rebounds, 12.6 assists, 8.2 steals and 2.4 blocks per game while shooting 44.5% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 75.5 points per game.

Knights: 3-7, averaging 74.1 points, 28.1 rebounds, 15.9 assists, 6.4 steals and 1.6 blocks per game while shooting 46.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 80.6 points.

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