College Basketball World Reacts to Bellarmine Win Over Louisville

The Knights, members of the Atlantic Sun Conference, stunned the crosstown Cardinals, 67-66.

It’s the time of year when college basketball bluebloods schedule small schools with the expectation of easy victories as they tune up their performance.

But every once in a while, David slays Goliath.

That’s what happened at the KFC Yum! Center on Wednesday, when Bellarmine stunned crosstown foe Louisville, 67–66, spoiling the debut of Kenny Payne as Cardinals coach.

Garrett Tipton scored 21 points to lead Bellarmine, which built a 14-point first-half lead and withstood a second-half Louisville run. It was Bellarmine’s first win over Louisville in 13 meetings.

The plucky Knights won the Atlantic Sun Conference tournament last season but were ineligible for the NCAA tournament as the program transitions from Division II to Division I. Bellarmine, located in Louisville with an enrollment of approximately 3,000, will become eligible for the Big Dance in 2024–25.

• Forde: The Birth of a Division I Program: The Rise of the Bellarmine Knights

Here’s how the college basketball world reacted to the upset.

Bellarmine 67, Louisville 66. Final. Knights and Scott Davenport win their Super Bowl. Incredible journey for that program.

— Pat Forde (@ByPatForde) November 10, 2022

Jeff Goldblum said in The Lost World (circa 1997) that "taking dinosaurs off this island is the worst idea in the long sad history of bad ideas".

Louisville's decision to schedule Bellarmine in Kenny Payne's first game with its least talented roster in years is a close second. https://t.co/mmIHfGkaYE

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) November 10, 2022

Just cackling. What a beautiful way to run down the clock. Bellarmine we love y’all. pic.twitter.com/mnsREgqzbb

— 🇺🇸The Sickos CBB Committee🇺🇸 (@SickosCBB) November 10, 2022

Damn Bellarmine https://t.co/8V91PMKAvi

— Matt Jones (@KySportsRadio) November 10, 2022

Bellarmine's home arena is Louisville's old home arena, but I think Bellarmine's new, other home arena is now also the Yum! Center.

I think that's how this works. https://t.co/s2wzvL5j6k

— Matt Norlander (@MattNorlander) November 10, 2022

These guys just beat Louisville and never once made it about themselves! This is truly the Bellarmine way. ❤️ https://t.co/R96EgTP1OK

— Brent Bach (@Brent_Bach15) November 10, 2022

For the first time in program history, @BUKnightsMBB has defeated the Louisville Cardinals. If there were any remaining doubts - yeah, DI is where we belong. pic.twitter.com/dhqVVcoDe5

— Bellarmine University⚔️ (@bellarmineU) November 10, 2022