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BIG RAPIDS, Mich. - The experience and perimeter shooting of Northern Kentucky University overcame the youth and inside muscle of Ferris State during the Norse’s 67-45 win Saturday afternoon. But it was the performance of freshman guard Dennis Gagai that enabled NKU to coast to the non-conference road victory. Gagai scored 17 of his career-high 25 points in the first half as the Norse built a 40-24 lead at the break. He also buried five 3-point attempts in the first half and finished 6-for-8 from long range. “We needed someone to step up and hit from the outside today, and Dennis gave us a great first half with his shooting,” NKU head coach Dave Bezold said. “We did a nice job of moving the basketball and finding the open shot. It was a great team effort, and Vince Humphrey did a tremendous job of rebounding for us in the first half.” Humphrey, a senior forward, finished with 11 points and seven rebounds. He also drained a pair of 3-pointers for the Norse (2-1), who finished 12-for-26 from long range. “Gagai has the ability to be a great scorer for us, and I’m glad he’s just a freshman because we have him for three more years,” Bezold said. “We really shot the ball well in the first half, and that was important on the road.” Anthony Teague buried a 3-pointer at the end of the first half to give NKU a 40-24 lead, and Ferris State (2-2) never threatened during the final 20 minutes. The Norse won the rebounding battle against the taller Bulldogs by a 29-28 margin. Gagai, who finished 9-for-11 from the field, also grabbed seven rebounds. “Our team did a great job of driving into the lane and finding the open man,” said Gagai, who attended West Virginia University last year as an invited walk-on for the Mountaineer basketball team. “The shots were falling for me, but our passing is what opened it up.” Sophomore guard Scott Bibbins scored 11 points and dished out five assists for NKU, which is 6-0 all-time against Ferris State. Senior guard Mark Hawkins added nine points for the Norse. Freshman Justin Keenan led Ferris State with 13 points and seven rebounds. The youthful Bulldogs, who start three freshmen, were just 2-for-11 from the free-throw line. NKU begins Great Lakes Valley Conference play Thursday night with a game at Quincy. The Norse conclude the two-game road trip Saturday afternoon with a contest at Southern Illinois at Edwardsville. |
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