JU Dolphins 'March Madness' dream ends in heartbreaking loss

Story by

Garry Smits, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union

Wed, Mar 4, 2026 ·

5 min read

March Madness turned into Jacksonville University's sadness over a game that appeared lost, then was salvaged with a spirited second-half run, only to have it slip through the Dolphins' fingers and with it, their season.

Bellarmine 's Brian Waddell beat JU's defense on a dunk off a set play with 14.3 seconds left and JU's Hayden Woods and Chris Lockett Jr. missed potential go-ahead and game-tying shots as the Knights survived 82-79 on March 4 in the first round of the ASUN Men's Basketball Tournament at UNF Arena.

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Who won between Jacksonville at Bellarmine in ASUN men's tournament game

Jacksonville University guard Jaylen Jones (2) steals the ball away from Bellarmine forward Jack Karasinski (32) as he hits the floor during the first period in the ASUN men's basketball tournament between Jacksonville and Bellarmine Wednesday March 4, 2026 at UNF Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]

Bellarmine center Jacob Hassler (44) tries to block a shot by Jacksonville University forward Donovan Rivers (33) during the first period in the ASUN men's basketball tournament between Jacksonville and Bellarmine Wednesday March 4, 2026 at UNF Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]

Bellarmine forward Jack Karasinski (32) fouls Jacksonville University forward Jason Thirdkill Jr. (31) during the first period in the ASUN men's basketball tournament between Jacksonville and Bellarmine Wednesday March 4, 2026 at UNF Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]

Jacksonville University guard Jaylen Jones (2) and Jacksonville University guard Chris Lockett Jr. (11) pressures Bellarmine forward Brian Waddell (11) during the first period in the ASUN men's basketball tournament between Jacksonville and Bellarmine Wednesday March 4, 2026 at UNF Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]

Bellarmine guard Myles Watkins (5) has his shot blocked by Jacksonville University guard Evan Sterck (34) during the first period in the ASUN men's basketball tournament between Jacksonville and Bellarmine Wednesday March 4, 2026 at UNF Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]

Jacksonville University forward Donovan Rivers (33) shoots for two during the first period in the ASUN men's basketball tournament between Jacksonville and Bellarmine Wednesday March 4, 2026 at UNF Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]

Jacksonville University head coach Jordan Mincy coaches from the bench during the first period in the ASUN men's basketball tournament between Jacksonville and Bellarmine Wednesday March 4, 2026 at UNF Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]

Jacksonville University forward Donovan Rivers (33) scores on a reverse layup during the first period in the ASUN men's basketball tournament between Jacksonville and Bellarmine Wednesday March 4, 2026 at UNF Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]

Jacksonville University head coach Jordan Mincy, right, coaches from the bench during the first period in the ASUN men's basketball tournament between Jacksonville and Bellarmine Wednesday March 4, 2026 at UNF Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]

Jacksonville University guard Jaylen Jones (2) is pressured by Bellarmine forward Jack Karasinski (32) during the first period in the ASUN men's basketball tournament between Jacksonville and Bellarmine Wednesday March 4, 2026 at UNF Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]

Bellarmine forward Donovan Hunter (7) pressures Jacksonville University guard Evan Sterck (34) during the first period in the ASUN men's basketball tournament between Jacksonville and Bellarmine Wednesday March 4, 2026 at UNF Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]

Bellarmine forward Jack Karasinski (32) tries to block a shot by Jacksonville University forward Jason Thirdkill Jr. (31) during the first period in the ASUN men's basketball tournament between Jacksonville and Bellarmine Wednesday March 4, 2026 at UNF Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]

Jacksonville University forward Jason Thirdkill Jr. (31) shoots a layup during the first period in the ASUN men's basketball tournament between Jacksonville and Bellarmine Wednesday March 4, 2026 at UNF Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]

Bellarmine forward Sam Donald (23) pressures Jacksonville University guard Jaylen Jones (2) during the first period in the ASUN men's basketball tournament between Jacksonville and Bellarmine Wednesday March 4, 2026 at UNF Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]

Jacksonville University guard Hayden Wood (8) shoots for two during the first period in the ASUN men's basketball tournament between Jacksonville and Bellarmine Wednesday March 4, 2026 at UNF Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]

Bellarmine forward Jack Karasinski (32) has his shot blocked by Jacksonville University guard Hayden Wood (8) during the first period in the ASUN men's basketball tournament between Jacksonville and Bellarmine Wednesday March 4, 2026 at UNF Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]

Bellarmine forward Jack Karasinski (32) screams after getting the foul by Jacksonville University guard Hayden Wood (8) during the first period in the ASUN men's basketball tournament between Jacksonville and Bellarmine Wednesday March 4, 2026 at UNF Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]

Bellarmine gets riled up before the start of the game during the first period in the ASUN men's basketball tournament between Jacksonville and Bellarmine Wednesday March 4, 2026 at UNF Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]

Bellarmine forward Brian Waddell (11) is pressured by Jacksonville University forward Donovan Rivers (33) during the first period in the ASUN men's basketball tournament between Jacksonville and Bellarmine Wednesday March 4, 2026 at UNF Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]

Jacksonville University guard Chris Lockett Jr. (11) is pressured by Bellarmine Sam Donald (23) and Jacob Wassler (44) during the first period in the ASUN men's basketball tournament between Jacksonville and Bellarmine Wednesday March 4, 2026 at UNF Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]

Jacksonville University forward Donovan Rivers (33) comes up with a rebound during the first period in the ASUN men's basketball tournament between Jacksonville and Bellarmine Wednesday March 4, 2026 at UNF Arena in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]

Ninth-seeded Jacksonville trailed by as many as 19 points but went on a 19-1 run in the second half, ignited by the 3-point shooting of Wood (23 points), Lockett (22), Jaylen Jones (14 points, seven assists and only two turnovers) and Providence graduate Chris Arias (eight points in the second half and led the Knights 72-67 with 6:37 left on Jones' 3-ball.

Bellarmine, seeded eighth, finally got back in the game by scoring the next six points, the last basket by senior forward Jack Karasinski (game-high 31 points and 10 rebounds) and the lead changed hands five times after that, the last on Waddell's dunk that JU coach Jordan Mincy said was a "lack of communication" on defense.

Woods missed an 8-foot jumper with 2.9 seconds left and the Knights' Sam Donald gathered the rebound and was fouled. He made both free throws and JU had time for a game-tying 3-point attempt.

The ball came into Lockett and his shot from the baseline at the buzzer to try and force overtime missed as the Dolphins went to 0-8 vs. the Knights.

JU had a golden opportunity to seal the game after Wood hit a 3-pointer off a Jones assist with 1:22 left to break a 76-76 tie. Karasinki was called for an offensive foul, but Jones picked that time to commit one of only two turnovers, throwing a lazy pass against Bellarmine's press that was hauled in by Tyler Doyle.

Waddell then slipped inside for a layup to cut the Dolphins' lead to one, and after Lockett was fouled, he missed the front end of a one-and-one with 27.6 seconds left. The ball went off the hands of JU's Jaylen Jordan and Waddell then got off his go-ahead dunk.

Bellarmine will play top-seeded Central Arkansas

Bellarmine (13-18) will play top-seeded Central Arkansas (20-11) in the quarterfinals on March 6 at the VyStar Memorial Arena at Noon. Jacksonville (12-20) has its first 20-loss season in the five years under Mincy

"Our guys played their heart out," he said. "It was a great game to be a part of."

Bellarmine coach Doug Davenport said he expected every ounce of fight from the Dolphins ― just not to the extent where his team lost such a huge lead.

"As a program, we have a ton of respect for Jordan and everything they do," said Davenport, who is in his first season as the Knights coach after being hired to replace his father, Scott, who led Bellarmine to 426 victories in 20 seasons.

"Of all the teams in the league, they have an identity as much as anyone," Davenport said. "You know they're going to guard, you know they're going to rebound, you know they're going to be physical. Jordan's a phenomenal coach. But I'm really, really proud of our players and obviously excited about the result."

JU declined to make players available to the media.

Dolphins rally with 'small ball' lineup

JU trailed 47-32 at halftime and Bellarmine increased it to 56-37 on a 9-3 run early in the second half, with Karasinski scoring six of the points.

Mincy decided to sacrifice rebounding for offense and went with a small lineup, with guards Lockett, Jones, Wood and Arias in the game. It worked.

Lockett's 3-pointer, a 3-point play by Woods and a 3-pointer by Jones started the Dolphins on the way back. Their surge began in earnest after Doyle hit a 3 with 13:55 left for a 62-48 Bellarmine lead.

Lockett answered with back-to-back 3-pointers and the run was one. He scored 12 of the Dolphins' next 19 points, with JU sinking four 3s during that span, and Bellarmine didn't score a basket for 6:10 until Krasinski broke the ice.

"We felt like, let's go to a small ball lineup, let's really try to space them out," Mincy said. "We did a good job of executing our offense and the guys made shots."

JU shot 53 percent in the second half and hit 8 of 13 3-pointers (61 percent) after a first half in which they shot 35 percent overall and made only 1 of 6 3-point attempts. The Dolphins also had only five turnovers.

Bellarmine took control with late first-half run

The Knights had a nine-point lead with 4:34 left in the first half on Kenyon Goodin's 3-pointer, before the Dolphins cut into it on a layup by Jones and two foul shots by Wood.

However, Bellarmine exploded for a 16-4 run, with Waddell (15 points, seven rebounds) scoring seven and Goodin hitting two 3-pointers for the Knights' 15-point halftime lead.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: JU Dolphins lose to Bellarmine in ASUN Tournament