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HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - Northern Kentucky University hits the road for a pair of Great Lakes Valley Conference games this week, beginning with a Thursday night contest at Wisconsin-Parkside. The Norse also travel to Romeoville, Ill., on Saturday to meet Lewis in another GLVC East Division game. NKU enters the road trip with a 7-3 overall record, and the Norse are 1-2 in the GLVC. NKU was picked to win the GLVC East in the preseason poll. Both games can be heard live on WIOK (107.5 FM) and on the Internet at www.nku.edu/~athletics. OVERTIME THRILLER: NKU rallied to knock off North Alabama in overtime last Saturday by a 100-94 score at Florence, Ala. Anthony Teague scored a career-high 21 points and Steven Wright added 18 points for the Norse. Teague drained three consecutive 3-point shots to spark an NKU rally that forced overtime, and the Norse took advantage by outscoring North Alabama 20-14 in the extra session. North Alabama held an 80-78 lead with seven seconds remaining in regulation after Quinn Beckwith made one of two free throws. NKU’s Billy Finnell drew a foul with 0.5 seconds on the clock, and the sophomore guard made both free throws to force overtime. In the extra session, Vincent Humphrey scored a pair of baskets and Wright came up with a key steal and layup. Wright and Kevin Schappell (15 points) each made four free throws in the overtime to seal the victory. Teague, a transfer from New Mexico, came off the bench and scored 10 points in the first half as NKU took a 38-34 lead at the break. Travis Rasso added eight of his 14 points in a reserve role during the first half for the Norse. EVEN STEVEN: In addition to his 18 points, Steven Wright added seven assists, four steals and four rebounds in the win at North Alabama. For the season, Wright averages a team-leading 16.6 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. Wright also tops the team in steals (17) and is tied for first in 3-pointers made with 16. DEFENSIVE STOPPER: NKU sophomore guard David McFarland did the defensive job on North Alabama’s Quinn Beckwith on Saturday, holding the high-scoring guard to just 10 points on 3-for-10 shooting from the field. McFarland also added seven points, four rebounds and three assists.
THE CENTURY MARK: NKU reached the 100-point mark last Saturday for the first time since a 101-86 victory over Wisconsin-Parkside on Jan. 22, 2005. ABOUT WISCONSIN-PARKSIDE: The Rangers are 9-5 after suffering a 92-76 loss at defending NCAA Division II national champion Winona State on Dec. 29. Wisconsin-Parkside is 1-3 in the GLVC. Kyle Clark averages 13.6 ppg and leads Wisconsin-Parkside in scoring. LaVontay Fenderson is scoring 13.4 ppg for the Rangers, and Brad Ferstenou averages 12.0 ppg. Tyrone Deacon also averages double figures in scoring at 11.1 ppg. THE LAST TIME AGAINST THE RANGERS: On Feb. 23, 2006, Kevin Schappell scored 15 points as NKU posted a 68-65 win over Wisconsin-Parkside at DeSimone Gymnasium in Kenosha, Wis. Schappell - who had just missed two free throws three seconds earlier - made a free throw with 3.6 ticks remaining to give NKU a 68-65 lead. He then missed the second attempt but rushed in to grab the offensive rebound, preventing Wisconsin-Parkside from getting a last-second try at a 3-point shot. Harrison Morton gave NKU the lead for good with 57 seconds remaining when he converted two free throws for a 65-64 Norse advantage. Wisconsin-Parkside had two chances to take the lead, but a missed shot and a turnover gave NKU the ball with less than 20 seconds remaining. Scott Bibbins made two free throws with 16 seconds left to extend NKU’s lead to 67-64. After Schappell missed a pair of free throws with 6.3 seconds left, Brad Ferstenou was fouled with four seconds remaining. He made just one of two free throws, and the Rangers fouled Schappell with 3.6 seconds left on the clock. Travis Rasso added 11 points for the Norse, who swept the season series from the Rangers. In their earlier meeting, NKU posted a 71-66 win in Regents Hall. THE LAST TIME AGAINST LEWIS: On Feb. 25, 2006, Billy Finnell scored five points in the final minute of the game as NKU pulled out a 72-66 win over Lewis in the Neil Carey Arena. Finnell’s contested layup with 59 seconds remaining snapped a 65-all deadlock and gave NKU a 67-65 lead. After Pat Monaghan missed a 3-pointer on Lewis’ ensuing possession, Finnell rebounded the ball and ran the clock down under 15 seconds. Finnell then sealed the win for NKU by taking the ball to the basket, drawing contact and making a layup while being fouled. He converted the free throw to give NKU a 70-65 lead with 11.6 seconds left in the game. |
