Gonzaga big favorites against Bellarmine, which is coming off narrow loss to Saint Mary’s

At first glance, Gonzaga-Bellarmine sets up as a milestone watch – Drew Timme is 11 points from 1,000 in his career – and another tuneup for the Zags before two heavyweight bouts next week in Las Vegas.

It certainly could turn out that way, but Bellarmine’s determined effort in a 73-64 road loss to Saint Mary’s on Wednesday – the 15.5-point underdog Knights led 55-54 near the 5-minute mark – showed the visitors from Louisville, Kentucky, can compete with an upper echelon WCC team.

Can the Knights compete Friday against WCC kingpin and No. 1-ranked Gonzaga at the McCarthey Athletic Center? Bellarmine coach Scott Davenport offered a snippet of what he plans to tell his team during a postgame interview Wednesday with a Louisville radio station.

“Here’s going to be my message,” Davenport began. “If you were playing basketball and you’re playing the No. 1 team in the nation, a team that went (31-0) en route to the national championship (game) and you were tied, how hard would you play?”

“As hard as you can,” one of the radio interviewers responded.

“Well, when the game starts it’s going to be tied,” Davenport said.

Bellarmine is in its second season at the Division I level. The program, led by Davenport since the 2005-06 season, had great success in Division II and captured the 2011 national title.

The Knights surprised many with a 14-8 record last season, including a 10-3 mark in the ASUN, good for second place. They played in the College Basketball Invite and defeated Army in their first game.

Gonzaga has five games against D-I newcomers, including Dixie State (GU won 97-63 in the season opener), Tarleton State, Merrimack and North Alabama, the latter is in its final season of a four-year transition period.

The Knights are No. 185 in KenPom’s rankings, which puts them third highest among No. 1 Gonzaga’s nine nonconference home games behind No. 15 Texas and No. 135 Washington. KenPom projects Gonzaga defeating Bellarmine 91-64.

Tarleton State is 218 in KenPom, Merrimack 232, Dixie State 295, North Alabama 302, Northern Arizona 322 and Alcorn State 332. Six WCC teams are in the top 92. Pepperdine is at No. 180 with Portland at No. 326.

Bellarmine returns four starters, led by first-team All-ASUN Conference selection Dylan Penn, a senior guard averaging 15 points, 4 assists and 4 rebounds. Guard CJ Fleming, a career 43.6% 3-point shooter, averages 10.3 points and reserve guard Garrett Tipton is next at 9.0.

The Knights’ tallest projected starters are 6-foot-7, 205-pound Ethan Claycomb and 6-8, 220-pound Curt Hopf. Sam DeVault, 6-10 and 220, averages 8.5 minutes off the bench. The Knights limited Saint Mary’s to 5 of 25 on 3-pointers, but center Matthias Tass scored a career-high 25 points.

The 6-10 Timme would become the 47th member of Gonzaga’s 1,000-point club if he comes close to his 19.3 scoring average.

The Knights, who were usually among the top shooting teams in D-II, carried that over to their first D-I season by hitting 50.8%, third nationally. They’re at 44.2% this season after losses to Purdue (96-67), Murray State (78-59) and Saint Mary’s.

Davenport was encouraged by Bellarmine’s performance against the Gaels.

“We played like us for the first time all year,” he said. “It’s summed up very simple. They outscored us 14-6 on points off turnovers, by eight. It was a nine-point game. They shoot 31 free throws, we shoot 15. That’s the game right there.”

Bellarmine will join Gonzaga in Las Vegas next week. The Knights face UCLA on Monday and Central Michigan on Tuesday. Gonzaga takes on Central Michigan on Monday and UCLA on Tuesday.