---Harrison Morton

KENOSHA, Wis. - Kyle Clark scored 20 points as Wisconsin-Parkside posted an 80-70 win over Northern Kentucky University on Thursday night in DeSimone Gymnasium.

Dave Keane added 13 points as the Rangers knocked NKU out of first place in the Great Lakes Valley Conference East Division. The Norse, who dropped to 19-6 overall, 13-5 in the GLVC, entered the game tied for first place with Kentucky Wesleyan in the GLVC East.

Kentucky Wesleyan gained sole possession of first place Thursday night with an 87-74 win at Indianapolis. NKU is assured of a home game next Tuesday night in the first round of the GLVC Tournament.

NKU, however, must win at Lewis and Kentucky Wesleyan has to lose at Saint Joseph’s in the regular-season finales Saturday if the Norse are to repeat as GLVC East Division champions. If NKU and Kentucky Wesleyan finish in a tie, the Norse earn the No. 1 seed from the GLVC East due to a pair of wins against the Panthers.

“We missed some wide-open jump shots and layups early in the game, and they took advantage of it and scored some points in transition,” NKU head coach Dave Bezold said. “If you don’t make driving layups, which we were missing, it kills you. Someone has to step up and knock down shots, and it’s that simple. We did not play well enough, and Wisconsin-Parkside handed it to us.”

Harrison Morton, who was named GLVC Player of the Week on Monday, led NKU with 24 points. Morton finished 8-for-15 from the field and 7-for-9 from the free-throw line.

Scott Bibbins added 11 points for the Norse, who shot 43 percent from the field. Travis Rasso scored 10 points for NKU.
Wisconsin-Parkside made 50 percent of its attempts from the field and was 7-for-13 from 3-point range. Keane made a trio of 3-pointers for the Rangers.

“For whatever reason, we can’t figure out who (Keane) is and find him defensively, and he made open shots that hurt us,” Bezold said. “We told our guys to stay on him, but it happens every time we play in this gym with him.”

LaVontay Fenderson and D.J. Dantzler each scored 11 points for Wisconsin-Parkside (15-11, 8-10 GLVC), while Brad Ferstenou finished with 10 points. The Rangers were the preseason favorites to win the GLVC East title but were eliminated from GLVC Tournament contention last week.

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