LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Interstat) — In a tense ASUN Conference rematch decided in the final seconds, the Bellarmine Knights edged the West Georgia Wolves 77-74 on Wednesday night at Knights Hall.

The game, a stark contrast to the teams’ 87-85 shootout won by West Georgia just 27 days prior, was a defensive struggle defined by efficiency and critical plays down the stretch. Bellarmine improved to 8-13 overall, while West Georgia fell to 10-11.

The most important sequence of the game unfolded in the final 18 seconds with Bellarmine clinging to a 75-74 lead. West Georgia’s Josh Smith missed a potential go-ahead three-pointer. Bellarmine’ Sam Donald secured the defensive rebound and was immediately fouled. After a full timeout, the Knights inbounded to Kenyon Goodin, who was fouled by Smith with 5.1 seconds remaining.

Goodin, a Shelbyville, Kentucky native, calmly sank both free throws to extend the lead to three. West Georgia’s last-ditch attempt to force overtime failed when Smith’s heavily contested three-point shot at the buzzer was off the mark, sealing the Knights’ victory.

The contest was a study in contrasting styles. West Georgia, led by a game-high 25 points from Shelton Williams-Dryden of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, relied on perimeter shooting, connecting on 11 of 21 attempts from beyond the arc. Brady Hardewig of Cincinnati, Ohio, contributed 12 points, all on three-pointers. The Wolves, however, were plagued by poor free-throw shooting, making only 3 of 8 attempts, and managed just four assists against nine turnovers.

Bellarmine countered with interior dominance, outscoring West Georgia 46-32 in the paint and converting a efficient 10 of 12 from the foul line. Tyler Doyle of Lexington, Kentucky, spearheaded the Knights’ attack with 21 points, repeatedly attacking the basket. Jack Karasinski of Grand Rapids, Michigan, added 18 points, including two crucial free throws with 55 seconds left that gave Bellarmine a 75-73 lead it would not relinquish.

The Knights also benefited from a balanced effort, with Brian Waddell of Carmel, Indiana, dishing out four assists and Goodin finishing with 10 points, none bigger than his final two.

West Georgia’s JaVar Daniel of Memphis, Tennessee, provided a strong inside presence with 10 points, three assists and a block before fouling out. Matija Žužić of Belgrade, Serbia, scored nine points on 3-for-4 three-point shooting for the Wolves.

The first half set the stage for the nail-biting finish, with Bellarmine taking a narrow 36-31 lead into halftime. The Knights maintained a slight edge throughout much of the second half, but West Georgia’s shooting kept them within striking distance. The Wolves tied the game at 71-71 on a Williams-Dryden layup with 4:30 remaining, setting up the dramatic final minutes.

Bellarmine’s victory, secured before a crowd of 1,827, snapped a two-game skid. West Georgia saw its two-game win streak end.

Both teams return to ASUN action on Saturday. Bellarmine hosts Queens (N.C.), while West Georgia welcomes Austin Peay.