Wednesday, February 16, 2000
NKU 68, Indianapolis 66
Listerman saves Norse
BY MARK SCHMETZER
Enquirer contributor
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. — The last team to beat Northern Kentucky's men's basketball team at Regents Hall was Indianapolis last season — and the Greyhounds would have done it again Tuesday night if not for the heroics of Kevin Listerman.
The senior guard scored a season-high 20 points and turned in the key steal to lead the Norse to a 68-66 win over the Greyhounds before a crowd of 813.
Listerman stripped Andy Foster of the ball near midcourt as Indianapolis worked for the final shot. Brian Lawhon grabbed the loose ball and hit a fast-breaking Craig Conley for the wide-open layup as the buzzer sounded.
“In a situation like that, you've got to force them to their weakness, and that's Foster going to his left,” Listerman said. “I was able to pop it loose.”
The Norse completed a sweep of their season series against the Greyhounds (14-8, 10-6), who fell by one point at Indianapolis earlier in the season when Ryan Hupfer missed a layup as time expired.
NKU was losing 26-19 before Listerman hit a 3-pointer to start a streak of seven consecutive points that sparked a 17-2 Norse run. Listerman was 5-of-5 from the field, including 2-of-2 from 3-point range, and hit both of his free throws while scoring 14 first-half points, one more than his previous season high.
“He willed us to win,” NKU coach Ken Shields said.
“I don't know about that,” Listerman said. “I just don't like to lose. When you get a chance to make plays, you've got to do everything you can to make them. When I took that first shot, I said, "This one has to go.'”
NKU extended its home-court winning streak to 14, including 12-0 this season. The Norse (21-4, 13-3 GLVC) are ranked No.22 in the NCAA Division II poll. A loss would have been their second in the last three games, not the trend a team wants to take into the stretch run.
“We're struggling offensively right now,” Listerman said. “Every team's going to go through stretches like this during the season, but you still have to come away with a couple of wins during that period. We needed this win.”
INDIANAPOLIS (14-8, 10-6) — Martin 7-12 3-6 17, Holubar 0-1 0-0 0, Skurka 3-7 1-2 7, Gaines 4-8 0-0 11, Foster 3-14 0-0 8, Davidson 4-9 2-3 10, Brown 3-5 0-0 9, Desjean 1-2 0-0 2, Hupfer 1-3 0-0 2. Totals: 26-61 3-5 66.
NORTHERN KENTUCKY (21-4, 13-3) — Sanders 5-8 2-2 14, Brewster 0-3 2-2 2, Norwell 0-3 2-3 2, Listerman 7-10 4-4 20, Stowers 0-1 0-0 0, Conley 3-6 3-5 10, Lawhon 4-9 2-2 13, Marston 0-2 1-2 1, Wieber 3-7 0-0 6. Totals: 22-49, 16-20 68.
Halftime: NKU 38, Indianapolis 33. 3-point field goals: Indianapolis 11-23 (Martin 3-6, Gaines 3-5, Foster 2-8, Brown 3-4). Northern Kentucky 8-21 (Sanders 2-5, Listerman 2-5, Stowers 0-1, Conley 1-2, Lawhon 3-6, Marston 0-2). Attendance: 813.
NKU WOMEN 78, INDIANAPOLIS 68: The Northern Kentucky women's team clinched first place in the Great Lakes Valley Conference and the No.1 seed in the GLVC tournament with a 78-68 win over Indianapolis Tuesday night at Regents Hall.
Michelle Tuchfarber scored 20 points to lead four Norse players in double figures.
NKU coach Nancy Winstel recorded career win No.350.
NKU (20-2, 15-1 GLVC), which is ranked No.1 in the Great Lakes Region poll, posted its 13th 20-win season in the 26-year history of the program.
INDIANAPOLIS (12-10, 6-10) — Glenn 2-7 2-2 6, Ramsey 10-20 4-5 24, Sturtevant 1-2 2-2 3, Schmalstig 2-6 0-0 5, DeWitt 1-4 0-0 2, Hall 4-9 0-0 11, Virgin 0-0 0-0 0, Hammes 6-9 3-4 15, Oberle 0-0 0-1 0, Luttrell 0-1 1-2 1, Frantz 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 26-58 12-16 68.
NORTHERN KENTUCKY (20-2, 15-1) — Cottrell 6-7 3-4 15, Cowens 2-2 0-0 4, Jenson 0-1 0-0 0, Livingstone 3-9 0-2 7, Tuchfarber 3-8 12-15 20, Smith 2-7 0-0 5, Mobley 2-3 3-4 7, Flanagan 2-8 4-4 10, Polosky 2-3 5-6 10. Totals: 22-48 27-35 78.
Halftime NKU 45, Indianapolis 31. 3-point field goals: Indianapolis 4-10 (Ramsey 0-1, Schmalstig 1-1, DeWitt 0-1, Hall 3-6, Luttrell 0-1). Northern Kentucky 7-16 (Livingstone 1-2, Tuchfarber 2-4, Smith 1-3, Mobley 0-1, Flanagan 2-5, Polosky 1-1). Attendance: 314.
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