LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Toward the end of the first half of tonight's men's basketball game between Lindsey Wilson College and host Bellarmine (Ky.) University, Santa and Mrs. Claus appeared on the end-zone stage at Bellarmine's Knights Hall.

The Clauses must have brought plenty of three-point goals for the host Knights and lump of coal for the Blue Raiders as Bellarmine stopped Lindsey Wilson's 11-game winning streak with an 88-67 win.
The NCAA-Division II Knights (4-5) blistered the nets from behind the three-point arc to pull away from the Blue Raiders at the end of the first half and beginning of the second half. Bellarmine hit nine of their first 12 three-point attempts in the game.

Bellarmine -- who finished the game shooting 10-of-19 from behind the three-point line -- outscored the Blue Raiders 32-12 to open the second half and take a commanding 74-46 lead with 9:51 left in the game.

"The last eight minutes of the first half and the first 10 minutes of the first half that Bellarmine played tonight were as good I've ever seen from an NCAA-Division II school," said Lindsey Wilson coach Paul Peck.

Lindsey Wilson (12-2) came within 14 points twice, but turnovers and missed opportunities doomed the Blue Raiders' comeback effort.

The Blue Raiders entered tonight's game holding opponents to 37.8 percent field-goal shooting. But the Knights hit 53.7 percent of their attempts, the second best effort against the Blue Raiders this season.

Lindsey Wilson -- ranked No. 7 in the NAIA -- hit 48.1 percent from the field on 25-of-52 shooting, "but when the other team shoots 53 percent, it's awfully hard to win," Peck said.

Lindsey Wilson was led by senior guard Jeremy Johnson, who came off the bench to score a game-high 23 points in 30 minutes of action. Junior forward Lloyd Lewis fouled out of the game, but he still scored 16 points. Sophomore guard Brandon Adams added 11 points.

Bellarmine was led by senior guard Matt Otte's 19 points.