HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University men’s basketball team will resume Great Lakes Valley Conference play this Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. with a road game at the University of Indianapolis.
NKU, now 10-1 after suffering a 74-60 loss at Hillsdale (Mich.) College last Sunday, will also travel to Rensselaer, Ind., on Saturday for a 4:15 p.m. game against Saint Joseph’s College.
The broadcasts of both games can be heard live on WTSJ (1050 AM).
The Norse are ranked No. 6 nationally in the NCAA Division II poll. NKU - which is ranked No. 1 in the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Region poll - is in sole possession of first place in the GLVC with a 4-0 record.
STREAK ENDS: NKU’s 10-game winning streak was halted last Sunday at Hillsdale by a 74-60 score. The Norse made just 40.4 percent of their shots from the field and were 3 of 18 from three-point range in the defeat.
It marked the first time since the 1997-98 season that the Norse had lost to an opponent from the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. NKU finished the regular season with a 3-1 record against the GLIAC, with wins against the University of Findlay, Wayne (Mich.) State University and Ferris State University.
STOWERS APPROACHES 1,000 POINTS: NKU senior guard Brenden Stowers enters Thursday night with 958 career points. Stowers leads NKU in scoring at 13.5 points per game this season, and he also is No. 1 on the team in assists (38) and steals (25).
STREAK AGAINST INDIANAPOLIS: NKU enters Thursday night with seven consecutive victories against Indianapolis. The Norse have not lost to Indianapolis since Feb. 9, 1999, when the Greyhounds posted an 81-71 win over NKU in Regents Hall.
NKU has won three straight games in Nicoson Hall against the Greyhounds.
ABOUT INDIANAPOLIS: The Greyhounds own a 7-4 overall record, and they are 2-2 in the GLVC. The Greyhounds feature sophomore guard David Logan, who leads the GLVC in scoring at 23.4 ppg. Logan has scored at least 20 points eight times this season, and he has made 25 of 73 three-point attempts.
Junior forward Rodney Rollins averages 13.4 ppg and 5.5 rebounds per contest. Junior center Jason Wright is scoring 12.5 ppg and leads Indianapolis in rebounding at 9.8 rpg.
THE LAST TIME AGAINST INDIANAPOLIS: On Feb. 9, 2002, Craig Sanders scored 32 points as NKU defeated Indianapolis, 80-61, at Nicoson Hall. Sanders scored 20 points in the first half as NKU built a 46-29 lead at intermission. Sanders connected on four three-point field goals in the first 20 minutes of that game.
Carl Mitchell scored 10 of his 11 points in the first half and grabbed nine of his game-high 11 rebounds before halftime. Brenden Stowers finished with 15 points and four assists for the Norse.
NKU made 49 percent of its shots from the field and hit 83.3 percent of its free throws. The Norse limited Indianapolis to 30.6 percent shooting from the field.
In their first meeting of last season, Mitchell scored 16 points, grabbed nine rebounds and blocked four shots as NKU defeated Indianapolis, 76-53, in Regents Hall. Stowers added 13 points and eight rebounds for the Norse.
Bobby St-Preux and Sanders also scored in double figures with 12 points apiece. NKU built a 32-24 halftime lead as Mitchell scored eight points and the Norse held Indianapolis to 34.4 percent shooting from the field. In the second half, NKU made 55.2 percent of its shots from the field to roll to the victory.
ABOUT SAINT JOSEPH’S: The Pumas are 6-5 overall, 2-2 in the GLVC. Saint Joseph’s will play host to Bellarmine University on Thursday before facing NKU on Saturday.
Saint Joseph’s is led by junior center Corey Seegers, who averages 18.5 ppg and 7.5 rpg. Senior guard Hodges Smith averages 14.4 ppg.
THE LAST TIME AGAINST SAINT JOSEPH’S: On Feb. 7, 2002, Brent Mason and Corey Seegers scored 18 points each as Saint Joseph’s rallied for a 73-70 victory over NKU at Scharf Alumni Fieldhouse.
Marlin Murphy scored 14 points as Saint Joseph’s rallied from a 13-point halftime deficit (37-24) to post the win over NKU. Seegers scored all 18 of his points in the second half.
NKU held a 53-46 lead with 10:50 remaining in the game, but Saint Joseph’s responded with a 22-7 run during the next seven minutes to build a 68-60 advantage. The Norse closed the gap to two points several times in the final seconds, but the Pumas held on for the victory.
It marked the second straight season that Saint Joseph’s had upset NKU at the Scharf Alumni Fieldhouse.
Brenden Stowers