HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University men’s basketball team will hit the road this week for a pair of Great Lakes Valley Conference games, starting with an 8:30 p.m. contest Thursday at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville.
NKU will also play at Quincy University at 4:30 p.m. Saturday. Both games can be heard live on WTSJ (1050 AM).
The Norse, now 17-3 overall and ranked No. 12 nationally in the NCAA Division II poll, are in sole possession of first place in the GLVC with an 11-2 record.
Quentin Smith’s basket with 13.5 seconds remaining in the game Saturday lifted NKU to a 76-75 win over the University of Wisconsin-Parkside in Regents Hall. Wisconsin-Parkside held a 75-74 lead when NKU’s Brenden Stowers drove the lane and missed a twisting jumper.
Smith, however, grabbed the offensive rebound and powered his way for a layup to give the Norse a 76-75 lead with 13.5 seconds left. On the final possession of the game, Wisconsin-Parkside’s Brian Maastricht passed the ball underneath the basket to Glen Barlow with less than a second remaining. Barlow’s shot attempt, however, came after the buzzer sounded and his basket was not allowed.
NKU rallied from a 72-66 deficit with 2:49 remaining in the game behind the play of Smith (22 points, 14 rebounds), Stowers (25 points) and Bobby St-Preux, whose basket with 1:18 tied the score at 72-72. Dean Pogodzinski hit a three-pointer with 1:01 left to give Wisconsin-Parkside a 75-72 lead, but Stowers responded with a pair of free throws to bring NKU to within 75-74.
Quincey Moman committed a turnover with 29 seconds left, giving NKU its chance to win the game. The Norse are now 8-0 all-time against the Rangers in Regents Hall, and they lead the series, 12-4.
HOME STREAK REACHES 20: NKU has won 20 consecutive games in Regents Hall. The 20-game home win streak ranks No. 3 nationally in NCAA Division II men's basketball. The Norse - now 11-0 at home this season - have not lost in Regents Hall since Dec. 6, 2001, when Kentucky Wesleyan College posted a 64-62 win over NKU.
“Q” NAMED GLVC PLAYER OF THE WEEK: NKU senior forward Quentin Smith has been named GLVC Player of the Week for the second time this season. Smith averaged 22.5 points, 12.0 rebounds and shot 80 percent from the field to lead the Norse to a pair of wins last week.
Smith started with a 23-point, 10-rebound effort during NKU’s 91-69 win over Saint Joseph’s. He then tallied 22 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and scored the winning basket with 13.5 seconds remaining in the game as the Norse edged Wisconsin-Parkside, 76-75. On that play, Smith grabbed an offensive rebound and powered his way for the go-ahead basket.
For the season, Smith averages 14.0 ppg and a team-leading 7.9 rebounds per game. Smith ranks No. 4 in the GLVC in rebounding.
STOWERS KEEPS CLIMBING SCORING LIST: Senior guard Brenden Stowers has moved up to No. 18 on the all-time NKU scoring list with 1,137 career points. Stowers leads NKU in scoring at 16.4 points per game, which ranks No. 6 in the GLVC.
Stowers is also closing in on the NKU single-season record for made free throws. He enters Thursday’s game having made 126 free throws, which is five shy of the 131 Brady Jackson converted during the 1982-83 season.
STREAK CONTINUES FOR KELSEY: NKU sophomore guard Mike Kelsey extended his streak of consecutive games scoring in double figures to 12 on Saturday with 11 points against Wisconsin-Parkside. Kelsey averages 14.1 ppg, and he leads NKU in three-pointers made with 49.
NKU TOPS GLVC IN THREE-POINT PERCENTAGE: NKU ranks No. 1 in the GLVC in three-point shooting percentage at 40.8 percent. The Norse are also tops in the GLVC in field goal percentage at 50.8 percent.
ABOUT SIUE: The Cougars own a 7-12 overall record, and SIUE is 3-9 in the GLVC.
SIUE is led by junior guard Ron Jones, who averages 15.8 ppg. Jones scored 23 points in an 88-70 loss at Kentucky Wesleyan last Saturday. Senior forward Ron Heflin averages 11.5 ppg, and freshman forward Logan Glosser is scoring 11.9 ppg.
THE LAST TIME AGAINST SIUE: Earlier this season on Jan. 11, Quentin Smith scored 19 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as NKU rallied for a 77-63 win over SIUE in Regents Hall. Mike Kelsey added 15 points and three assists for the Norse.
SIUE held a 38-32 lead early in the second half, but NKU used a 13-3 run to take a 45-41 advantage. Bobby St-Preux and Chris Seabrooks each scored two baskets to key the Norse run. St-Preux’s three-pointer gave NKU a 58-51 lead with 7:39 remaining, and the Norse sealed the victory by making nine free throws in the final 3 1/2 minutes.
Smith hit six straight free throws late in the game as NKU held off the Cougars. St-Preux finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots, while Brenden Stowers added 14 points. NKU held SIUE to 43.6 percent shooting from the field and won the rebounding battle by a 37-25 margin.
THE STREAK AGAINST SIUE: NKU has beaten SIUE 14 consecutive times. NKU has not lost to SIUE since the 1991-92 season, when the Cougars posted a 97-90 win against the Norse in Edwardsville, Ill. SIUE is 0-13 against NKU since joining the GLVC.
ABOUT QUINCY: The Hawks are 10-10 overall, 4-9 in the GLVC. Quincy is led by senior center Brian McNeil, who averages 10.2 ppg and 5.6 rebounds per contest. McNeil is also shooting 57.6 percent from the field.
Sophomore Cory Cummens averages 13.2 ppg and has made 42 three-point shots. Junior forward Phil Gettinger averages 12.3 ppg and 5.9 rebounds.
THE LAST TIME AGAINST QUINCY: Earlier this season on Nov. 30, Brenden Stowers scored 15 points and added four steals as NKU defeated Quincy, 79-68, in Regents Hall.
Mike Kelsey added 12 points for NKU, which shot 61.5 percent from the field in the first half to build a 45-32 lead at intermission. Chris Seabrooks finished with 10 points and five rebounds for NKU, which made 27 of 33 free throw attempts. The Norse forced the Hawks into 22 turnovers and won despite Quincy’s 37-24 rebounding advantage.
Adam Howell added nine points for NKU, while Quentin Smith finished with seven points and seven rebounds. Bobby St-Preux and Jordan Stowers added nine points each for the Norse, and Jesse Rupe finished with eight points. Brian McNeil led Quincy with 17 points and 11 rebounds.
LAST SEASON AT PEPSI ARENA: On Jan. 3, 2002, Brenden Stowers’ tip-in basket with two seconds remaining gave NKU a 76-74 win over Quincy at the Pepsi Arena. With the score tied at 74-74 and the clock winding down, NKU’s Bobby St-Preux drove the lane and missed.
Stowers, however, grabbed the offensive rebound and made a twisting shot while falling down to give the Norse a 76-74 lead. Quincy had one final chance, but Stowers stole the long inbound pass.
NKU trailed by seven points midway through the second half, but Craig Sanders hit a pair of key three-pointers to bring the Norse within 64-62 with 8:20 remaining. The Norse eventually forged a 70-67 lead on Carl Mitchell’s four-point play with 5:40 left. Mitchell was fouled while making a three-pointer, and he converted the free throw for the four-point play.
St-Preux led NKU with 19 points, and he also added two steals and two assists. Sanders finished with 18 points for the Norse.
Bobby St-Preux