EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Brenden Stowers made two free throws with 7.5 seconds remaining in the game Thursday night to give Northern Kentucky University a 74-72 victory over Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville at the Vadalabene Center.
With the score tied at 72-72, Stowers drove the lane and missed a short jumper. He grabbed the offensive rebound, however, and was fouled with 7.5 seconds left.
After Stowers made both free throws, SIUE’s Logan Glosser attempted a three-pointer at the buzzer. The shot was off target, and NKU escaped with the come-from-behind victory.
SIUE held a 72-68 lead with 3:56 remaining after a jumper by Justin Ward. NKU, however, scored the next four points and tied the game at 72-72 when Mike Kelsey converted a driving layup while being fouled with 1:36 left in the game.
Kelsey missed the free throw and SIUE’s Tim Bauersachs rebounded the ball. Ron Jones missed a three-pointer on the next possession, but SIUE’s Ron Heflin grabbed the offensive rebound and attempted a stickback. His layup, however, was blocked out of bounds by Chris Seabrooks.
Jones again attempted a three-pointer with 44 seconds left, but the shot was rejected by Bobby St-Preux and rebounded by Stowers. After a 30-second timeout, NKU ran the clock down, setting the stage for Stowers’ late-game heroics.
Kelsey and Jesse Rupe scored 14 points each for the Norse, who are 18-3 overall and ranked No. 12 nationally in the NCAA Division II poll. NKU is in sole possession of first place in the Great Lakes Valley Conference with a 12-2 record.
Stowers - who finished with 10 points - made all seven of his free throws Thursday and set an NKU single-season record with 133. The previous mark was 131 made free throws, set by Brady Jackson in 1982-83.
NKU has now beaten SIUE 15 consecutive times. NKU has not lost to SIUE since the 1991-92 season, when the Cougars posted a 97-90 win against the Norse in Edwardsville, Ill.
SIUE is 0-14 against NKU since joining the GLVC. Heflin led the Cougars (7-13 overall, 3-10 GLVC) with 22 points, and Jones added 18.
Adam Howell added 11 points for NKU, which is ranked No. 3 in the latest NCAA Division II Great Lakes Region poll. The top eight teams in that poll will advance to the NCAA Division II Tournament in March, with the No. 1 seed hosting the entire regional.
Michigan Tech University is No. 1 in the poll, followed by No. 2 Kentucky Wesleyan College and NKU.
NKU will play at Quincy University at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.
Brenden Stowers