ST. LOUIS - Mike Kelsey scored 17 points Thursday night as Northern Kentucky University defeated the University of Missouri-St. Louis, 64-52, at the Mark Twain Building.
Quentin Smith, Bobby St-Preux and Brenden Stowers added 13 points each as NKU improved to 14-2 overall, 8-1 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Norse, ranked No. 12 nationally in the NCAA Division II poll, are in sole possession of first place in the GLVC.
St-Preux - who also finished with eight rebounds - scored nine points in the first half as NKU built a 28-19 lead. Kelsey added eight points before halftime.
The Norse shot 70 percent (14-of-20) from the field in the second half to coast past Missouri-St. Louis (5-9, 2-7 GLVC). Smith scored 11 points in the second half to spark NKU, and he finished with a game-high nine rebounds.
Jo'Van Fisher led Missouri-St. Louis with 12 points. NKU now owns a 5-2 record at the Mark Twain Building against Missouri-St. Louis since the Rivermen joined the GLVC.
NKU will travel to Evansville, Ind., to meet the University of Southern Indiana on Saturday. NKU has lost five straight games in the PAC Arena against Southern Indiana.
The Norse have not defeated the Screaming Eagles on the road since a 99-87 victory in the 1996 NCAA II Great Lakes Region championship game.
NKU has not won a regular-season game in the PAC Arena since the 1994-95 season, when the Norse rallied for a 96-90 victory over Southern Indiana. At that time, Southern Indiana was ranked No. 1 in the nation.
Bobby St-Preux