Let’s get to know Bellarmine before Kentucky’s final non-conference game

Before Santa Claus flies in for Christmas, there’s a holiday treat in Rupp Arena on Tuesday, as the Wildcats return home for the final non-conference game of the regular season. Kentucky Basketball hosts nearby Bellarmine in an afternoon matchup on Christmas Eve Eve, set for a 1 p.m. tip in downtown Lexington and on SEC Network+ for fans streaming at home.

I know you’re busy with last-minute shopping, so here’s a primer on Bellarmine to help you prepare for UK’s next opponent.

Louisville’s other Division I program

Unfamiliar with Bellarmine? I’ll tell you about it. Bellarmine University is a private Catholic school located in Louisville, Kentucky, situated in the Highlands neighborhood. Named for the Jesuit priest and cardinal Robert Bellarmine, it operated as an all-male college from 1950 to 1968.

Known as the Knights athletically, Bellarmine competes in the ASUN Conference and transitioned to Division I beginning with the 2020–21 season, but infamously missed out on the 2021 NCAA Tournament due to the NCAA’s transition rule for new Division I teams.

A new Davenport on the sideline

Head coach Scott Davenport stepped away from his legendary career after last season, hanging it up after 20 years coaching the Knights. His legacy lives on in his son, Doug Davenport, who replaced his old man on the sidelines this season. The younger Davenport was a Bellarmine assistant since the 2016-17 season and was announced as the program’s “Coach-in-Waiting” in May 2022.

Looking ahead to Kentucky, the first-time head coach said, “Playing in Rupp is a tremendous opportunity for this team and our program. UK is obviously very talented, extremely well coached and has the ability to beat you in a multitude of ways. We’re thrilled about the opportunity to go in and compete to get ourselves ready for ASUN play.”

Bellarmine’s 2025-26 record snapshot

The Knights enter Tuesday’s game having already matched their total win output from last season, with five wins overall and three against Division I non-conference opponents, including a 79-64 home win over Chattanooga in their most recent outing. Bellarmine’s win over Chattanooga marked its first home victory over a Division I opponent this season.

Our nation’s best free-throw shooting team

Bellarmine leads the ASUN and ranks 17th nationally in field goal percentage at .514. Even better, the Knights also lead the nation in free-throw shooting, knocking down 80.9 percent from the stripe.

Jack Karasinski is the guy

Senior forward Jack Karasinski leads the ASUN and ranks 20th nationally in scoring, averaging 20.8 points per game. He has scored 20 or more points in six of nine games this season, already matching his total from all of last year.

Karasinski is also one of the ASUN’s most efficient scorers, shooting .577 from the field, which ranks second in the ASUN and among the top 60 nationally. Last time out, he logged Bellarmine’s first double-double of the season against Chattanooga with 20 points and a career-high 12 rebounds.

Purdue transfer Brian Waddell

New to Bellarmine, redshirt-senior forward Brian Waddell, who transferred after four years with Purdue, leads the ASUN and ranks 18th nationally in field goal percentage at .643. Waddell is averaging 15.3 points per game and has reached double figures in all but two Bellarmine games this season.

In the Knights’ win over Chattanooga, Waddell scored 15 points, all in the second half, and pulled down a career-high eight rebounds.

Bellarmine’s history vs. Kentucky

Kentucky won the only previous meeting between the two programs, a 60-41 game on Nov. 29, 2022, at Rupp Arena. The game was tied at 21 at halftime, marking the lowest scoring half for Kentucky since 2018. Bellarmine even led early in the second half before a 23-3 Kentucky run put the game away.