Dec. 12, 2001

NKU TO PLAY TWICE IN N. CAROLINA

Norse hit the road for Pfeiffer (N.C.), Wingate (N.C.)

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University men’s basketball team owns a 6-2 record after rallying for an 83-82 overtime win over the University of Southern Indiana on Dec. 8 in Regents Hall. The Norse are 3-2 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference and ranked No. 21 nationally in the NCAA Division II poll. NKU’s two losses this season have come against 19th-ranked University of Wisconsin-Parkside and No. 1 Kentucky Wesleyan College. The Norse will travel to the state of North Carolina this weekend and play Pfeiffer (N.C.) University at 2 p.m. this Sunday. NKU will conclude the two-game trip next Tuesday (Dec. 18) with a 7 p.m. game against Wingate (N.C.) University. Both games can be heard live on WTSJ (1050 AM). Pfeiffer is currently 3-3, and Wingate - a preseason pick in the NCAA Division II top 25 poll - is 9-2. Wingate also has a 113-97 win over GLVC member Southern Indiana this season. BUZZER BEATER AGAINST USI: Brenden Stowers’ driving layup with seven seconds left in overtime last week gave NKU an 83-82 win over Southern Indiana. Wes Attebury’s tip-in with 16 seconds remaining gave Southern Indiana an 82-81 lead, setting the stage for Stowers. After Stowers dribbled past two defenders for a layup to give the Norse an 83-82 advantage, Southern Indiana missed two potential game-winning shots in the final seconds. NKU rallied from a 12-point deficit in the second half by shooting 60 percent from the field. NKU eventually took a 66-60 lead with 2:29 remaining when Stowers converted a layup. Southern Indiana, though, used a 9-3 run to send the game into overtime. The Norse made six of seven shots, including both three-point attempts, in the overtime to pull out the win. Stowers finished with 14 points and four assists. Craig Sanders led the Norse with 19 points, and Mitchell added 13 points and two blocked shots. Jesse Rupe recorded a double-double for the Norse with 12 points and 10 rebounds. MITCHELL LEADS GLVC IN BLOCKED SHOTS: NKU senior forward Carl Mitchell leads the GLVC in blocked shots with 20 (2.5 bpg). As a team, NKU is also No. 1 in field goal percentage (.498) and field goal percentage defense (.415). THE STREAK CONTINUES FOR SANDERS: NKU’s Craig Sanders has now scored in double figures in 28 consecutive games dating back to last season. The NKU record for consecutive games in double figures is 39, set by Brady Jackson. SANDERS MOVES CLOSER TO SCORING RECORD: Sanders is also closing in on the NKU all-time scoring record of 1,980 points, which is currently held Brady Jackson. Sanders enters Sunday’s game against Pfeiffer with 1,594 points and is No. 6 on the all-time list. He needs 387 points to break the record. BALANCED ATTACK: NKU features four players - Sanders (16.9 points per game), Mitchell (14.0 ppg), Stowers (13.4 ppg) and Bobby St-Preux (12.0 ppg) - scoring in double figures. ABOUT PFEIFFER: The Falcons are 3-3 after dropping a 69-66 decision to Erskine College on Dec. 4. Pfeiffer is an NCAA Division II affiliate and a member of the Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference. Pfeiffer features senior guard Tyree Harris, who averages 16.3 points and 5.5 rebounds. Senior forward Terrence McCutcheon is scoring 15.2 ppg and averages 7.0 rebounds for the Falcons. Freshman guard Rico Grier is scoring in double figures (10.2 ppg) and averages 5.0 rebounds per contest. ABOUT WINGATE: The Bulldogs own a 9-2 record after posting a 100-82 win over North Carolina-Pembroke on Dec. 8. Wingate, which has the nation's fifth-longest homecourt win streak (20 straight games) is a member of the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Conference. Wingate is led by junior guard Djuan Hankins, a preseason Division II All-America selection who averages 15.7 ppg. Hankins has made 22 of 73 three-point attempts and also averages 3.3 rebounds per game. Sophomore guard Keenan Dunn averages 13.7 ppg and has made a team-leading 29 three-point shots. Senior guard Lorinza Harrington also averages 13.7 ppg and leads the Bulldogs with 85 assists.