XU takes on Bellarmine

The Xavier men's basketball team will take on the Bellarmine Knights on Saturday at 6 p.m.

The Musketeers played Bellarmine last season and lost 61-63.

The Knights are the defending

Division II National Champions and play a tough exhibition

schedule this season.

On Saturday, the Knights took on the Duke Blue Devils. While they lost 62-87, they still played a quality offense points against the No. 6 ranked team.

Last season, the Blue Devils allowed an average of 64.7 points, only 2.7 more than Bellarmine's final score.

Bellarmine junior guard Jeremy Kendle averaged 16.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.5 assists

per game, leading Bellarmine in scoring.

Bellarmine's tallest players,

redshirt sophomore Richie Phares and senior Luke Sprague, stand at 6-foot-8.

They will be playing opposite Xavier players such as senior 7-footer Kenny Frease, junior Jeff Robinson and sophomore Griffin McKenzie at 6-foot-9.

This game will be Xavier's second exhibition game of the season, as they beat West Virginia Mountaineers in a closed session earlier in the season.

This game will serve as the Musketeers final exhibition game prior to their season-opener against the Morgan State Golden Bears on Nov. 11. Xavier will have to take on the Golden Bears without the help of senior

point guard Tu Holloway, Xavier's leading scorer.