LOUISVILLE, KY -- Treyton Thompson set a new career high with 23 points, leading Stetson to an 81-76 victory over Bellarmine, marking the Hatters' third straight win.

"I'm so proud of our guys for finding a way to win in a tough atmosphere tonight against a strong Bellarmine team," said Head Coach Donnie Jones. "Coming off an emotional win on Thursday against Eastern Kentucky, it would've been easy to lose focus, but our team showed incredible compusere and grit. I'm so happy for the huge game from Treyton Thompson. His attitude and work ethic finally was rewarded tonight."
 
The game began with Jamie Phillips Jr. tying things up at two for Stetson. After trailing by one, Jordan Wood gave the Hatters their first lead with a three-pointer. The teams traded baskets back and forth, with Bellarmine matching each Stetson score. The Knights briefly pulled ahead by one, but Josh Massey answered with a three, followed by Thompson's own triple to put the Hatters up 20-16. Phillips Jr. capped off an 8-0 run with a pull-up jumper. Stetson carried a 39-31 lead into the final seconds of the half, when Thompson nailed a step-back three at the buzzer, giving the Hatters a commanding 42-31 lead at halftime.
 
Bellarmine came out strong in the second half, quickly tying the game at 44. Stetson fought back, with Mehki Ellison driving the lane and drawing fouls while Thompson grabbed key offensive rebounds, converting them into points. The duo combined for 15 consecutive points, helping the Hatters reclaim a slight lead at 63-58. Bellarmine wouldn't back down, however, and tied the game at 67. But Stetson capitalized on their free-throw opportunities, pushing the lead to 73-67 with clutch foul shooting down the stretch. The Hatters held on, finishing strong with a final score of 81-76.
 
Thompson led Stetson with a career-best 23 points, adding 7 rebounds and 2 assists. Ellison contributed 17 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists. Wood and Phillips Jr. also scored in double digits, with 14 and 12 points, respectively. Phillips Jr. and Canka shared the team lead in rebounds with 8 each. The Hatters shot 47% from the field, 39% from three, and a solid 80% from the free-throw line, hitting 24 of 30 attempts.
 
Stetson will now head to Jacksonville, taking on North Florida at 7:00pm on Wednesday, January 29.