NKU’s Harrison Morton

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University men’s basketball team plays a key regional road game at Grand Valley State at 7 p.m. on Dec. 20.

NKU enters that game with a 6-1 record after dropping a 65-46 decision at Brigham Young on Dec. 10 in Provo, Utah. The Norse are unbeaten in the Great Lakes Valley Conference (3-0).

NKU will resume GLVC play Jan. 5 when Kentucky Wesleyan visits Regents Hall for a 7:45 p.m. game.

KEY REGIONAL GAME: NKU owns a 3-0 record against teams from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference this season, including a 73-63 win over Grand Valley State on Nov. 23 in Regents Hall. The Norse also have victories against GLIAC members Findlay and Saginaw Valley State.

The GLIAC and the GLVC compete for bids in the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Region at the end of the regular season. The winners of the GLIAC and GLVC Tournaments receive automatic berths in the NCAA Great Lakes Region Tournament, and six more teams get at-large berths.

LUDGOOD GREAT AGAINST BYU: NKU senior center Gavin Ludgood scored a career-high 17 points against Brigham Young. Ludgood, who averages 10.4 points per game, also grabbed eight rebounds against the Cougar frontcourt.

Ludgood is shooting 61.1 percent from the field and averages 4.9 rebounds per contest.

SCHAPPELL FROM LONG RANGE: NKU junior guard/forward Kevin Schappell ranks second in the GLVC in 3-point shooting at 60 percent. Schappell leads NKU in scoring at 13.4 ppg as well as 3-pointers made (15) and steals (14).

MORTON WARMING UP: NKU sophomore forward Harrison Morton scored nine points against Brigham Young and averages 4.3 ppg. In his last two games, Morton has averaged 8.5 ppg and has shot 7-for-11 (.636) from the field.

STILL NO. 1 IN THE GLVC: NKU ranks No. 1 in the GLVC in free-throw shooting at 77 percent. The Norse feature seven players shooting at least 80 percent from the line. Schappell has made 21 of his 24 attempts (.875), while Vincent Humphrey is at .833 from the line. Morton is shooting 9-for-10 from the line.

LIGHTS OUT : NKU’s Dec. 8 game at Saint Joseph’s was suspended when a power outage occurred in the Scharf Alumni Fieldhouse late in the second half. Saint Joseph’s owned a 57-40 lead with 6:30 left in the game when the power went out.

The game will be resumed on Feb. 22 at 1 p.m. at Rensselaer, Ind.

ABOUT GRAND VALLEY STATE: The Lakers are 6-2 overall, and 3-1 in the GLIAC. Callistus Eziukwu leads Grand Valley State in scoring at 14.4 ppg and rebounding (6.3 rpg). He also has 19 blocked shots this season. Jason Jamerson is scoring 14.3 ppg for the Lakers, who will play Indianapolis before meeting NKU.

EARLIER THIS SEASON AGAINST THE LAKERS: Billy Finnell and Kevin Schappell came off the bench and combined for 28 points as NKU defeated Grand Valley State, 73-63. Finnell had 16 points, and Schappell added 12.

NKU used a 15-2 run to end the first half and take a 38-22 lead at the break.

THOMAS MORE UP NEXT: NKU will play host to Thomas More at 7 p.m. on Dec. 23 in Regents Hall. NKU has beaten Thomas More 19 consecutive times and holds a 28-5 lead in the all-time series with the Saints.

NKU has not lost to Thomas More since the 1980-81 season, when the Saints defeated the Norse by a 61-52 score in Regents Hall.

After the Christmas break, NKU will head to Florida for games against Nova Southeastern (Dec. 29) and NCAA Division II powerhouse Lynn (Dec. 30).