HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - Jesse Rupe scored 13 points and grabbed six rebounds Friday night as Northern Kentucky University defeated the University of Findlay, 70-62, in the first round of the John L. Griffin/Lions Club Classic in Regents Hall.
Quentin Smith and Brenden Stowers each added 12 points for the Norse, who are 21-0 all-time in the first round of the John L. Griffin/Lions Club Classic. NKU has captured the tournament championship 12 times, and the Norse have won the event three straight years.
NKU (1-0) built a 39-29 halftime lead by shooting 56 percent from the field and holding Findlay (0-1) to 30 percent from the field. The Oilers, however, used an 11-1 run to begin the second half and tied the score at 40-40 when Brad Rethman finished off a conventional three-point play with a free throw.
Rupe and Smith responded with field goals to give NKU a 44-40 lead, and the Norse led the remainder of the game. Brenden Stowers - who converted 10 of 14 free throws - made a clutch basket while being fouled with 4:06 remaining in the game, and he hit the free throw to complete the three-point play to give NKU a 62-56 lead.
Mike Kelsey scored 11 points for the Norse, who shot 47.8 percent from the field. Smith grabbed a team-leading eight rebounds for NKU, and Chris Seabrooks finished with nine points.
Frank Phillips led Findlay with 13 points. The Oilers made just 36.2 percent of their shots from the field and committed 18 turnovers.
In the other first-round game Friday, Kentucky State University defeated Ohio Valley College, 87-57. NKU will meet Kentucky State at 7:45 p.m. Saturday in the championship game.
Jesse Rupe