Feb. 7, 2000

NKU PLAYS AT UM-ST. LOUIS ON THURSDAY

Norse now ranked No. 12 nationally in Division II poll

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University men’s basketball team is now 19-3 after posting a 78-67 win against Lewis University on Saturday in Regents Hall. The Norse are 11-2 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference and tied with Southern Indiana for second place in the league standings.

NKU will travel to St. Louis, Mo., to play the University of Missouri-St. Louis at 8:30 p.m. this Thursday night, and the Norse will complete the two-game road trip with a 4:30 p.m. contest at Quincy University on Saturday afternoon.

NKU is ranked No. 12 nationally in the Division II Bulletin poll. NKU has won 11 of its last 12 games, with the only loss being a 75-64 setback at Kentucky Wesleyan on Jan. 31. The Norse are 11-0 at home this season.

Senior forward Scott Marston came off the bench Saturday and scored 18 points to lead NKU past Lewis. Marston, who averages 9.3 points per game, has connected on 42 of 103 (.408) three-point attempts this season. He is also shooting 84.4 percent from the free throw line.

Junior forward Adam Norwell added 12 points and five rebounds against Lewis. Norwell averages 9.5 ppg and 5.1 rebounds per contest. He is also shooting 50.8 percent from the field.

CONLEY, LAWHON CLOSE IN ON 1,000 POINTS: NKU junior guards Craig Conley and Brian Lawhon are both nearing 1,000 career points. Conley, who averages 11.1 ppg, now has 948 career points going into Thursday night’s game. Lawhon, who averages 10.5 ppg, has scored 926 career points.

GOING FOR 20 WINS: NKU needs just one victory to reach the 20-win plateau for the sixth time in the history of the program. The Norse also won 20 games in 1977-78 (20-8), 1994-95 (25-4), 1995-96 (25-7), 1996-97 (30-5) and 1997-98 (23-7).

INSIDE GAME: For most of the season, NKU has been the nation’s most prolific three-point shooting team. During the past three weeks, the Norse inside attack has also been productive. Junior forward Adam Norwell has averaged 14 points and eight rebounds during that stretch, and junior center Zach Wieber has averaged 9.0 ppg and 5.3 rebounds.

GLVC LEADERS: NKU remains the GLVC’s top three-point shooting team at 41.3 percent. The Norse are also ranked No. 1 as a team in three-point defense, holding opponents to just 30.3 percent shooting.

NKU is No. 2 in free throw shooting at 74.5 percent, and the Norse rank No. 2 in scoring margin (+15.3 ppg).

INDIVIDUAL RANKINGS: Sophomore forward Craig Sanders, who leads NKU in scoring at 13.5 ppg, ranks No. 15 in the GLVC in scoring. Sanders also ranks No. 2 in the GLVC in three-pointers made per game at 2.73. Senior guard Kevin Listerman ranks No. 4 in the GLVC in steals with 2.09 spg. Junior guard Brian Lawhon is No. 3 in the GLVC in three-point shooting at 45.6 percent.

ABOUT MISSOURI-ST. LOUIS: The Rivermen are 11-8 overall after dropping an 88-65 decision at Kentucky Wesleyan on Saturday. UMSL is 6-7 in the GLVC.

The Rivermen feature junior guard Brian Markus, who averages 12.5 ppg. Markus has made 20 of 63 three-point attempts this season. Senior center Terence Herbert averages 12.4 ppg and 10.5 rebounds. Sophomore forward Jim Schelich averages 12.1 ppg and leads UMSL in three-pointers made with 46.

THE FIRST TIME AGAINST UMSL: On Jan. 15, Craig Conley scored 20 points as NKU defeated UMSL, 92-61, in Regents Hall. NKU shot 72 percent from the field during the second half to roll past the Rivermen. NKU led just 39-37 at halftime, but the Norse used a 30-11 run early in the second half to coast to the victory.

Brian Lawhon added 19 points for NKU, which connected on 13 of 21 three-point attempts. Billy Brewster (13 points), Adam Norwell (12 points) and Scott Marston (11 points) also scored in double figures for NKU.