Jan. 6, 2000
NKU TO HOST BELLARMINE ON SATURDAY
Norse (10-2) resume GLVC play against talented Bellarmine (5-4)
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University men’s basketball team, now 10-2 and ranked No. 6 nationally in the Division II poll after winning at California (Pa.), 73-63, on Dec. 30, resumes Great Lakes Valley Conference play this Saturday with a 3:15 p.m. game against Bellarmine College in Regents Hall.
The Norse were originally scheduled to travel to Owensboro, Ky., Thursday night to meet defending NCAA Division II national champion Kentucky Wesleyan College. A tornado, however, hit Owensboro last Monday and caused extensive damage to the city. As a result, both the NKU men’s and women’s games have been moved to this Monday (Jan. 10), with the women playing at 6:15 p.m., followed by the men at 8:30 p.m.
NKU won the Holiday Inn Food For the Hungry Tournament title at California (Pa.) with victories against Mount Olive and California (Pa.). In the championship game against California (Pa.), Norse senior forward Scott Marston came off the bench and scored 20 points to lead the attack.
Marston (7.4 points per game) made 7 of 11 shots from the field, including four three-pointers. He has now made 21 of 55 (38.2 percent) three-point attempts this season.
Sophomore forward Craig Sanders continues to lead NKU in scoring (14.4 ppg) and three-pointers made (39). Sanders also has made 72 percent of his free throws.
Junior guard Brian Lawhon is scoring 10.2 ppg, and he is No. 2 on the team in three-pointers made with 24. Lawhon is shooting 88 percent from the free throw line, and he has 24 assists.
Junior guard Craig Conley averages 9.8 ppg and leads NKU in three-point shooting at 54.8 percent. Conley also has 38 assists and 22 steals.
NATION’S LEADERS: NKU leads the nation in three-pointers made per game with an average of 10.3, according to the latest NCAA Division II statistics. Western State College of Colorado ranks No. 2 in the nation at 10.2 three-pointers made per game.
END OF THE ROAD: NKU will conclude its stretch of eight consecutive games away from Regents Hall with this Saturday’s game against Bellarmine. The Norse have not played at home in Regents Hall since Nov. 27, when they posted a 99-59 win against Olivet Nazarene.
LISTERMAN, BREWSTER EARN ALL-TOURNAMENT HONORS: NKU senior guard Kevin Listerman was named the most valuable player of the Holiday Inn Food For the Hungry Tournament at California (Pa.), and junior forward Billy Brewster was named All-Tournament. Listerman totaled 11 points, 12 rebounds and four assists in the two-game tournament, while Brewster had 21 points and 11 rebounds in the two games.
10 AND COUNTING: NKU enters Saturday with a 10-game winning streak against Bellarmine. The Norse won twice a year ago, taking both games by one point (70-69 in Regents Hall, and 83-82 at Louisville, Ky.) to keep the streak alive.
Bellarmine’s last victory against NKU came on Feb. 3, 1994, when the Knights escaped with a 73-72 win in Regents Hall. Steve Mercer’s layup with one second remaining gave Bellarmine the victory in that game.
ABOUT BELLARMINE: The Knights, who play host to Indianapolis on Thursday, own a 5-4 overall record, 0-3 in the GLVC.
Bellarmine is led by sophomore guard Jared McCurry, who averages 17.3 points per game. McCurry has also made 48.1 percent of his three-point attempts, and he is shooting 56 percent from the field.
Freshman forward Adam Etienne averages 13.4 ppg and 8.1 rebounds. Etienne also leads the team with six blocked shots.