ROLLA, Mo. – Ninth-ranked Bellarmine, the top field goal shooting team in NCAA Division II, hit 60 percent of its shots in the first half to build a lead over a cold-shooting Missouri S&T squad and went on to post an 85-61 Great Lakes Valley Conference win Thursday night at Billy Key Court.

The Miners hung in with the Knights over the first seven minutes of play as Bellarmine came up empty on seven of its first 12 possessions, as they trailed 12-11 following a jumper by B.J. McLaughlin (Florissant, Mo./Hazelwood Central) with 13:08 left in the half.

However, the Knights rattled off the next nine points to take a 10-point lead just before the midway point of the half, then gradually extended the lead over the balance of the first half.

Bellarmine finished the first half hitting 18 of its 30 shots from the floor while the Miners made only 31.3 percent of their attempts in the first 20 minutes.

The Miners (8-13, 4-8 GLVC) had a better second half from the field as they finished the contest at 34.4 percent and played on relatively even terms with the Knights (18-3, 11-1 GLVC) on the boards as Bellarmine held a 35-33 edge.

McLaughlin led the Miners with 18 points, while Desmond Buerge (Carthage, Mo./Carthage) and Telloy Simon (Kitchener, Ont./St. Mary's) – making his first career start Thursday – had 10 apiece.  Simon also finished with nine rebounds in the game.

Rusty Troutman had 18 points – 15 of them coming in the first half -- to lead Bellarmine while George Suggs finished with 12.

Missouri S&T returns to action Saturday when it hosts Southern Indiana at 3 p.m. at Billy Key Court.  Saturday's game is Military Appreciation Day at S&T with all military members, active or retired and their immediate families being admitted free of charge.