HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - Eric Freeman’s three-pointer with 9.4 seconds remaining in the game Thursday night gave Kentucky Wesleyan College a 67-66 win over Northern Kentucky University in Regents Hall.
NKU had taken a 66-64 lead with 20 seconds remaining when Jared Ronai made a pair of free throws. Freeman, however, answered for Kentucky Wesleyan by sinking a 23-footer to give the Panthers a 67-66 advantage with 9.4 seconds left on the clock.
On NKU’s final possession, Mike Kelsey drove and launched a running, 12-foot jumper in the lane that bounced in with 0.8 seconds left. Kelsey, however, was called for traveling before the shot and the basket was waved off.
Kentucky Wesleyan built a 39-26 halftime lead by holding NKU to 41.7 percent from the field, including just 1-for-11 shooting from three-point range. The Panthers opened the second half by making four consecutive three-point shots and built a 53-34 lead with 16:02 left.
Kentucky Wesleyan led by 22 points (60-38) with 13:49 left, but NKU responded with a 26-3 run and took a 64-63 lead on Ronai’s layup with 1:40 remaining. La-Troy Farrow countered by making one of two free throws to tie the game at 64-64 with 38 seconds left, setting the stage for the wild finish.
The Panthers shot 41.7 percent from the field and won for the third straight year in Regents Hall. Kentucky Wesleyan also committed just five turnovers the entire game.
Dontae Truitt led Kentucky Wesleyan (6-4 overall, 3-3 Great Lakes Valley Conference) with 27 points, and Freeman added 16 points. Jesse Rupe led NKU (10-6 overall, 3-3 GLVC) with 19 points, and Kelsey finished with 10.
Kelsey now has 948 career points and is 27th on the Norse’s all-time scoring list. He has scored in double figures in 15 of NKU’s 16 games this season.
NKU will play host to the University of Southern Indiana - the nation’s top-ranked team in the NCAA Division II poll - at 3:15 p.m. Saturday in Regents Hall. Southern Indiana (12-2 overall, 5-2 GLVC) dropped an 88-87 decision at the University of Indianapolis on Thursday.
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Jesse Rupe |