RENSSELAER, Ind. - Jesse Rupe’s rebound basket with 4.8 seconds remaining in the game Saturday gave Northern Kentucky University a 100-99 win over Saint Joseph’s College at the Scharf Alumni Fieldhouse.
Brenden Stowers scored a career-high 35 points as NKU rallied from an 18-point deficit in the second half to post the victory. With 10 seconds remaining in the game and Saint Joseph’s holding a 99-98 lead, Stowers missed a pair of free throws. Rupe, however, chased down the offensive rebound and hit a short jumper to give the Norse a 100-99 advantage with 4.8 seconds left.
Hodges Smith - who scored 34 points to lead Saint Joseph’s - had a final shot to win the game for the Pumas, but his three-point attempt was off target at the buzzer. NKU snapped a two-game losing streak and improved to 11-2 overall, 5-1 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
Stowers, who also scored his 1,000th career point Saturday, made 15 of 20 free throws and connected on four three-point shots. He also had three assists and four steals.
Saint Joseph’s began the second half with an 18-6 run to build a 63-45 lead with 14:31 remaining in the game. Stowers and Mike Kelsey (24 points), however, keyed a 22-12 NKU spurt that sliced the deficit to 75-67 with 8:09 left.
NKU took an 84-83 lead with 5:11 remaining when Chris Seabrooks finished off a conventional three-point play with a free throw. After Saint Joseph’s responded with a 7-1 run to take an 90-85 lead, NKU used a 9-0 spurt to regain a 94-90 advantage with 1:57 remaining.
NKU trailed 99-96 with 27 seconds left, but Stowers made two free throws to bring the Norse within 99-98. The Norse fouled Noel Raney with 13 seconds remaining, and Raney missed both free throw attempts.
Stowers rebounded the second miss and was fouled by Raney with 10 seconds left. He missed both free throws, setting the stage for Rupe’s offensive rebound and winning shot.
Bobby St-Preux added 14 points for NKU, which had lost in its previous two trips to Rensselaer, Ind. Seabrooks added 12 points, nine rebounds and three blocked shots for NKU, which is ranked No. 6 nationally in the NCAA Division II poll.
Jamie Holden scored 19 points for Saint Joseph’s, which dropped to 7-6 overall, 3-3 in the GLVC.
Brenden Stowers