QUINCY, Ill. – Brenden Stowers scored 15 points and made two clutch free throws late in the game Saturday afternoon as Northern Kentucky University defeated Quincy University, 70-66, at the Pepsi Arena.

NKU built a 63-49 lead with 4:10 remaining, but Quincy used a 15-4 run to pull within 67-64 on Cory Cummens’ three-pointer with 29 seconds left. Stowers was fouled with 20 seconds remaining, and he made both free throws to extend NKU’s lead to 69-64.

Lee Caldwell missed a three-point attempt on Quincy’s possession, and Mike Kelsey – who grabbed the rebound and was fouled – made one of two free throws to ice the victory for NKU.

Jesse Rupe added 12 points and seven rebounds for NKU, which improved to 19-3 overall, 13-2 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.

Kelsey finished with 14 points as NKU defeated Quincy for the 15th time in 16 meetings. The Hawks’ only victory in the series came during the 1998-99 season, when they pulled out an 86-83 overtime win at the Pepsi Arena.

Kelsey, who also had six rebounds and two steals, has scored in double figures in 14 consecutive games. Bobby St-Preux added nine points, all in the first half, for the Norse, while Quentin Smith finished with eight points and eight rebounds.

The Norse shot 53.6 percent from the field in the first half to build a 39-32 lead at the break. NKU, however, made just 30.8 percent of its shots from the field in the second half and did not convert a field goal during the final 5:35 of the game.

The Norse did make 13 of 19 free throws in the second half and committed just nine turnovers the entire game.

NKU will play host to the University of Southern Indiana at 7:45 p.m. Thursday night in Regents Hall. Southern Indiana will meet Kentucky Wesleyan College in a GLVC showdown Saturday night in Evansville, Ind.

Article by Sports Information