Steve Purdon

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University men’s basketball team will meet Indianapolis at 3:30 p.m. (EST) Thursday in the first round of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament at Evansville, Ind.

The Norse enter the GLVC Tournament with a 12-14 overall record (8-12 GLVC) and are the No. 6 seed in the event, which will be played in Roberts Stadium. Indianapolis is the No. 3 seed and owns a 19-8 overall record (14-6 GLVC) entering Thursday’s first round.

NKU posted a 91-79 win over Missouri-St. Louis last Saturday in its regular-season finale. Pat Cary, Steve Purdon and Mike Kelsey combined to score 59 points as the Norse held off a second-half comeback by Missouri-St. Louis.

Cary scored a career-high 25 points and grabbed nine rebounds to lead NKU. Purdon finished with 19 points and made four three-point shots.

Kelsey added 15 points and moved into seventh place on the NKU all-time scoring list with 1,539 career points. Derek Smith came off the bench and finished with 10 points.

GLVC TOURNAMENT HISTORY: NKU is 7-6 all-time in the GLVC Tournament.

A year ago, Southern Indiana held off NKU, 83-74, in the first round of the event.

Two years ago, the Norse defeated Wisconsin-Parkside, Southern Indiana and Lewis en route to their first-ever GLVC Tournament championship.

Three years ago, seventh-seeded Wisconsin-Parkside rallied to stun second-seeded NKU, 93-87, in the first round of the GLVC Tournament.

Four years ago, NKU defeated Missouri-St. Louis, 82-72, in the first round. The Norse dropped an 84-67 decision to Kentucky Wesleyan in the semifinals.

Five years ago, NKU defeated IPFW in the first round, 96-65. The Norse lost to Southern Indiana, 100-89, in the GLVC semifinals.

Six years ago, the Norse defeated Indianapolis, 60-48, in the first round of the GLVC Tournament. NKU then lost to Kentucky Wesleyan, 111-70, in the GLVC semifinals.

Seven years ago, NKU knocked off Indianapolis, 85-76, in the first round of the GLVC Tournament in Regents Hall. The Norse lost to Southern Indiana, 79-78, in the GLVC semifinals at Owensboro, Ky.

NKU is 2-0 all-time against Indianapolis in the GLVC Tournament.

KELSEY EXTENDS STREAK: NKU senior guard Mike Kelsey enters the GLVC Tournament having scored in double figures in 14 consecutive games. He leads NKU in scoring at 15.7 points per game.

CARY DOES IT ALL IN HOME FINALE: NKU senior center Pat Cary made all 11 of his free throws en route to a career-high 25 points last Saturday against Missouri-St. Louis. Cary, who averages 10.7 ppg, also grabbed nine rebounds and blocked three shots to lead NKU in the home finale.

STOWERS NO. 1 IN GLVC: NKU senior point guard Jordan Stowers continues to lead the GLVC in assist-to-turnover ratio at 4.27. Norse senior point guard Sean Rowland is No. 3 in the GLVC in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.52.

CAN ANYONE STOP LOGAN?: In the past four meetings with NKU, Indianapolis guard David Logan has averaged 33.8 ppg against the Norse. Logan averages a GLVC-leading 29 ppg going into Thursday. This season, Logan owns a 26-point effort against NKU at Indianapolis, and he followed that with a 42-point performance in Regents Hall.

NKU/INDY WINNER TO MEET SIUE/UWP: The winner of NKU/Indianapolis will meet the survivor of second-seeded Southern Illinois at Edwardsville/seventh-seeded Wisconsin-Parkside in the semifinals at 1 p.m. Saturday. The GLVC championship is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday.

THE LAST TIME AGAINST INDIANAPOLIS: Earlier this season on Feb. 12, David Logan poured in 42 points to lead Indianapolis to an 87-74 win over NKU in Regents Hall. The 6-foot-1 Logan scored 26 points in the second half as Indianapolis held off NKU.
Logan hit seven three-point shots in that game. A year ago in Regents Hall, Logan tossed in 44 points as the Greyhounds posted a 95-92 overtime win over NKU.

IN THE FIRST MEETING THIS SEASON: On Dec. 2 at Indianapolis, David Logan and Lawrence Barnes combined for 48 points as Indianapolis posted an 85-71 win over NKU in Nicoson Hall. Logan finished with 26 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.

The Greyhounds shot 50.7 percent from the field and used a 15-5 run to start the second half to roll past NKU. Barnes added 22 points and six rebounds for Indianapolis, which made 10-of-25 three-point attempts. The Greyhounds also won the rebounding battle by a 40-33 margin. Mike Adibe had 10 points and nine rebounds for Indianapolis.

Harrison Morton led NKU with 19 points and four assists.