NKU’s Mike Kimmey

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University men’s basketball team will play host to Rockhurst (Mo.) at 7:45 p.m. Thursday in Regents Hall in the Great Lakes Valley Conference opener.

The NKU/Rockhurst game will be televised live on ICN-6.

NKU will also meet Drury (Mo.) at 3:15 p.m. Saturday in Regents Hall. The Norse are 3-0 entering GLVC play. Rockhurst and Drury are both competing in the GLVC for the first time this season. NKU has never played either team in men’s basketball.

Both games will be broadcast live on WIOK (107.5 FM) and can also be heard on the Internet at www.nku.edu/~athletics.

NORSE CONTINUE ROLL: Billy Finnell and Kevin Reinhardt each scored 16 points as NKU posted a 73-63 victory over Grand Valley State last Wednesday night. Finnell also had four steals and three assists as NKU improved to 3-0.

Kevin Schappell added 12 points and three steals for the Norse, who shot 53.6 percent from the field in the first half to build a 38-22 lead at the break.

Grand Valley State cut the NKU lead to 67-59 with 1:35 remaining on a layup by Courtney James, but the Norse made six free throws in the final 46 seconds to seal the victory.

NORSE PERFECT AGAINST THE GLIAC: NKU won its third straight game against a school from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference with the victory over Grand 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 Tournament, and six more teams get at-large berths.

That makes the 3-0 record against the GLIAC even more important for NKU, which also defeated then-No. 6 Findlay and Saginaw Valley State.

STRONG RESERVES: The NKU bench outscored Grand Valley State by a 42-16 margin. Finnell and Schappell combined for 28 points off the bench. Finnell averages 12.7 points per game, while Schappell is scoring 12.3 ppg. Schappell is also shooting 73.3 percent from the field and 83.3 percent from 3-point range.

KIMMEY FROM LONG RANGE: NKU freshman guard Mike Kimmey came off the bench against Grand Valley State and connected on a pair of 3-point shots in the first half.

DON’T FOUL THESE GUYS: NKU has made 78.1 percent of its free throws this season. Seven NKU players are shooting at least 75 percent from the line, and six have made better than 80 percent of their charity tosses.

ABOUT ROCKHURST: The Hawks are 4-3 overall after dropping a 72-69 decision at William Jewell on Monday night. Kevin Martin and Joey Deas each average 14.7 ppg to lead the Rockhurst offense. Martin tops the team in rebounding at 9.3 rpg.