 |
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University men’s basketball team faces Rockhurst at noon (CST) Thursday in the opening round of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament. The GLVC Tournament will be held in Roberts Stadium at Evansville, Ind. NKU is the No. 1 seed from the GLVC East Division, while Rockhurst qualified as a wild-card entrant as the No. 4 seed from the GLVC West. NKU owns a 20-7 overall record after posting a 68-60 road victory over Indianapolis last Saturday night. Rockhurst enters the GLVC Tournament with a 17-10 overall mark. The NKU/Rockhurst winner will advance to Saturday’s noon (CST) semifinals against the Drury/Wisconsin-Parkside survivor. The GLVC championship game is scheduled for 1 p.m. (CST) Sunday. The winner of the GLVC Tournament receives an automatic berth to the NCAA Division II Tournament. The 64-team NCAA Division II Tournament field will be announced March 4. All NKU games this week can be heard live on WIOK (107.5 FM) and on the Internet at www.nku.edu/~athletics. GLVC TOURNAMENT HISTORY: NKU is 9-8 all-time in the GLVC Tournament. A year ago, NKU dropped a 78-74 decision to Southern Illinois at Edwardsville in the first round. Two years ago, NKU defeated Indianapolis (52-51) and SIUE (73-62) to advance to the GLVC Tournament championship game. The Norse then lost to Southern Indiana (79-49) in the finale. In 2004, Southern Indiana held off NKU, 83-74, in the first round of the event. The previous season, the Norse defeated Wisconsin-Parkside, Southern Indiana and Lewis en route to their first-ever GLVC Tournament championship. In 2002, seventh-seeded Wisconsin-Parkside rallied to stun second-seeded NKU, 93-87, in the first round of the GLVC Tournament. The previous year, NKU defeated Missouri-St. Louis, 82-72, in the first round. The Norse dropped an 84-67 decision to Kentucky Wesleyan in the semifinals. In 2000, NKU defeated IPFW in the first round, 96-65. The Norse lost to Southern Indiana, 100-89, in the GLVC semifinals. In 1999, 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. In 1998, 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.
WRIGHT TIME: Senior guard Steven Wright enters the GLVC Tournament as NKU’s leader in scoring (16.9 points per game), rebounding (5.5 rpg), steals (45) and minutes played (32.2 mpg). Wright has led NKU in scoring 11 times this season with a single-game high of 29 against SIUE on Dec. 2. Wright also has 32 dunks this season and is closing in on the NKU single-season record of 41, set by LaRon Moore in 1996. His 32 dunks are the most ever thrown down by an NKU guard. BEZOLD REACHES 2O VICTORIES: NKU head coach Dave Bezold notched his first 20-win season last Saturday with the victory at Indianapolis. It marked the first time since the 2002-03 season the Norse reached the 20-win mark. Bezold, in his third year as the NKU head coach, is now 51-32 with the Norse. SCHAPPELL ON THE LINE: NKU senior guard Kevin Schappell is shooting 88.8 percent from the free-throw line. The Loveland High School product averages 11.3 ppg and is 46-for-102 from 3-point range. CRIPE IN THE MIDDLE: NKU senior center James Cripe blocked four shots Saturday night and leads the team with 33 rejections. The 7-footer also averages 8.3 ppg and is shooting 53.8 percent from the field. Cripe is also a Loveland High School graduate. V-HUM SOLID AGAIN: NKU junior forward Vincent Humphrey scored 12 points and grabbed eight rebounds against Indianapolis. Humphrey averages 8.0 ppg and is shooting 52.1 percent from the field. The 6-foot-4 forward is also 40-for-88 from 3-point range. THE LAST TIME AGAINST ROCKHURST: Earlier this season on Feb. 3 at Kansas City, Mo., Vincent Humphrey turned the Mason-Halpin Fieldhouse into his own personal 3-point shooting gallery. Humphrey connected on a career-high six 3-point field goals en route to 18 points to lead NKU to an 87-63 win over Rockhurst. Humphrey hit five 3-pointers during the opening 10 minutes of the game as NKU built a 31-19 lead. Kevin Schappell later added a 3-pointer to give the Norse a 36-21 advantage, and NKU coasted to the win in its first-ever appearance in the Mason-Halpin Fieldhouse. The Norse were 17-for-28 from behind the arc for 60.7 percent, including 10-for-16 shooting in the first half. Earlier this season, NKU tied a school record by draining 18 3-point field goals en route to an 89-51 win over Tiffin. NKU also made 18 3-pointers on Dec. 16, 1991, during a 126-120 overtime victory at Oakland City (Ind.). Steven Wright finished with 17 points and four rebounds for NKU. Anthony Teague drained four shots from 3-point range and finished with 14 points, while James Cripe added 12 points, five rebounds and two blocks. Schappell scored 11 points for the Norse, who shot 68.9 percent from the field for the game. BEWARE OF THE HAWKS: Rockhurst enters the GLVC Tournament fresh off a 75-63 upset over Southern Indiana. The Hawks feature four players who score in double figures and showcase the GLVC’s top shot-blocker in center John Torson, who has 71 rejections this season. Torson had 20 points and eight rebounds to lead the Hawks past Southern Indiana on Feb. 22. |
