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HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University men’s basketball team opens its Great Lakes Valley Conference schedule this week, beginning with a Thursday night road game against Quincy at 8:30 p.m. The Norse conclude the road trip Saturday with a 4 p.m. game at Southern Illinois at Edwardsville. Both games can be heard live on WIOK (107.5 FM) and the Internet at www.nkunorse.com. NKU enters GLVC play with a 2-1 overall record after posting a 67-45 win at Ferris State on Saturday. The Norse drained nine 3-pointers in the first half of that game to build a 40-24 lead at the break and coasted to the in-region victory against the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference team. DENNIS THE MENACE: NKU freshman Dennis Gagai scored 17 of his career-high 25 points in the first half Saturday at Ferris State. The 6-foot-4 guard also buried five 3-point attempts in the first half and finished 6-for-8 from long range. Gagai, who finished 9-for-11 from the field, also grabbed seven rebounds. The Ironton, Ohio, native leads NKU in scoring at 16.3 points per game and 3-pointers made (9-for-17). He also averages 4.7 rebounds and is shooting 67.9 percent from the field. MR. VERSATILE: NKU senior forward Vincent Humphrey leads NKU in rebounding at 5.3 boards per contest, and he is scoring 10.7 ppg. Humphrey grabbed seven rebounds against Ferris State and added 11 points. For the season, the 6-4 Humphrey is 6-for-12 from 3-point range and is shooting 80 percent from the free-throw line. He has also made 47.8 percent of his attempts from the field and is tied for the team lead with two blocks. BIBBINS WITH THE ASSIST: NKU sophomore guard Scott Bibbins dished out five assists Saturday and added 11 points in the win. The former Holy Cross High School standout averages 6.3 ppg and 2.67 assists per contest. BIG-TIME SHOTS FROM TEAGUE: NKU senior guard Anthony Teague buried a pair of 3-pointers in the first half against Ferris State, including a trey at the buzzer to give the Norse a 40-24 advantage at the break. Teague averages 8.7 ppg and leads NKU in 3-point shooting at .545 (6-for-11). LONG-RANGE EXPERTISE: NKU knocked down 12 3-pointers against the Ferris State zone defense. The Norse had five different players connect on 3-pointers in that victory. NKU is 31-for-72 (.431) from 3-point range this season. D-MAC’S PASSING ON TARGET: NKU junior guard David McFarland has 10 assists this season and only two turnovers. He leads the team with four offensive rebounds and minutes played with 29.3 mpg.
ABOUT QUINCY: The Hawks are 2-0 after romping past Culver-Stockton, 105-88, on Saturday. Quincy is picked to finish fourth in the GLVC West Division. Senior guard Andre Muse, who poured in a career-high 37 points against Culver-Stockton, is Quincy’s top offensive threat. Muse averages 22.0 ppg and is shooting 54.2 percent from the field. He is also 12-for-13 (.923) from the free-throw line. Junior forward Austin Chapital averages 15.5 ppg and 5.7 rebounds, while senior guard Cameron Murkey is scoring 13.0 ppg and grabbing a team-leading 7.0 rebounds per contest. THE LAST TIME AGAINST QUINCY: On Nov. 30, 2006, Andre Muse hit a 15-foot jumper from the left side of the lane with three seconds remaining to give Quincy a 70-68 victory over NKU in Regents Hall. Quincy held the ball for a final shot after Billy Finnell’s tying field goal, and the Hawks placed the ball in Muse’s possession. The 6-foot-5 Muse found the bottom of the net with a jumper, and NKU immediately called timeout. David McFarland found Finnell with the inbounds pass near midcourt, and he dribbled down the right side. Finnell attempted a desperation 3-pointer that missed at the buzzer, and Quincy defeated NKU for the fifth straight time during the past three years. Muse finished with a game-high 21 points on 9-for-12 shooting from the field for the Hawks. Joel Box added 14 points and nine rebounds for Quincy, which shot 60.4 percent from the field. Harrison Morton scored 17 points, dished out three assists and blocked two shots for NKU. Steven Wright added 16 points and seven rebounds, while teammate Travis Rasso scored 12 points. Morton was 6-for-7 from the field and also added two steals in 31 minutes of action off the bench. Quincy took a 40-37 halftime lead when Ryan Walker connected on a 30-foot shot at the buzzer. The Hawks eventually built a 52-43 lead with 12:57 left, but NKU rallied and took a 62-61 advantage on Morton’s conventional three-point play with 4:11 remaining. Muse, however, answered by swishing a 3-pointer to give Quincy a 64-62 lead, and the teams battled back and forth the remainder of the game. NKU shot 57.9 percent from the field in the second half to stay in contention. TRYING TO STOP THE QUINCY STREAK: NKU has not defeated Quincy since Dec. 1, 2003, when it held on for a 75-73 win in Regents Hall. Since then, Quincy has won five straight games against NKU. The Norse still lead the all-time series with the Hawks, 16-6. NKU has not won in Quincy’s Pepsi Arena since a 70-66 victory on Feb. 8, 2003. THE LAST TIME AGAINST SIUE: On Dec. 2, 2006, Steven Wright scored 29 points as NKU posted an 81-76 win over No. 21 SIUE in Regents Hall. Vincent Humphrey added 17 points, including a pair of clutch 3-point shots in the second half. NKU’S LAST WIN IN THE VADALABENE CENTER: NKU has dropped three straight games to SIUE in the Vadalabene Center. The Norse’s last road victory against SIUE came on Feb. 6, 2003, when NKU pulled out a 74-72 decision against the Cougars. Brenden Stowers made two free throws with 7.5 seconds remaining to snap a 72-all tie and give NKU the lead. SIUE missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer, and NKU walked out of the Vadalabene Center with the victory. |
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