Monday, March 06, 2000
Both NKU teams make tournament
Women top seed; men No. 5 seed
BY MARK SCHMETZER
Enquirer contributor
In the previous 25 seasons of their co-existence, the Northern Kentucky men's and women's basketball teams had never reached postseason play in the same season.
NKU's teams broke new ground Sunday after both were officially notified by the NCAA that they had qualified for the Division II tournaments.
“I think it's amazing that it's the first time ever,” women's coach Nancy Winstel said. “It's exciting. I'm very happy for them, and I'm sure they're very happy for us.”
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MEN'S REGIONAL
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At Owensboro, Ky.
Friday, March 10
N. Michigan (24-5) vs. N. Kentucky (25-6)
Gannon (23-4) vs. Michigan Tech (20-9)
Saturday, March 11
Ky. Wesleyan (27-2) vs. N. Michigan-N. Kentucky winner
S. Indiana (24-5) vs. Gannon-Michigan Tech winner
Sunday, March 12
Championship
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WOMEN'S REGIONAL
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At NKU Regents Hall
Thursday, March 9
Michigan Tech (22-6) vs. Gannon, Pa. (21-9)
Ferris State, Mich. (22-6) vs. Missouri-St. Louis (18-10)
Friday, March 10
Michigan Tech-Gannon winner at Northern Kentucky (27-2)
Ferris State-Mo.-St. Louis winner vs. Northern Michigan (24-5)
Saturday, March 11
Championship
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For the second consecutive season, Winstel's Norse earned the right to host the Great Lakes regional tournament by earning the No.1 seed. NKU (27-2) also received a first-round bye.
The Norse will play 7:45p.m. Friday against the winner of Thursday's 7:45p.m. game between No.4 seed Michigan Tech (22-6) and No.5 seed Gannon (21-9). Thursday's 5:30p.m. tournament opener matches No.3 seed Ferris State (22-6) and No.6 seed University of Missouri-St. Louis (18-10); the winner plays No.2 seed Northern Michigan at 5:30p.m. Friday.
The regional championship game is scheduled for 7:45p.m. Saturday.
The NKU men's team is the No.5 seed in the regional tournament that will be played at top-seeded Kentucky Wesleyan in Owensboro, Ky.
The Norse are scheduled to play No.4 seed Northern Michigan (24-5) at 3p.m. Friday. The winner plays Kentucky Wesleyan at 3p.m. Saturday.
Coach Ken Shields, whose 25-6 team has lost two of its last three games, was stunned that Gannon was the No.3 seed.
“When we went into the past weekend, Gannon was ranked third in the region, and we were fourth,” he said. “The week before, we were third and they were fourth. Then they lost in the first round of their tournament, and we got to the semifinals.”
Northern Michigan is led by first-team All-American Cory Brathol, a 6-foot-7 forward who scored 36 points to lead his team to victory in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) tournament championship game.
NMU also is bolstered by the return of 6-9, 240-pound center Kevin Boduti, who aver aged 15.9 points and 8.1 rebounds a game while playing in 18 of his team's 29 games.
“They didn't give us an easy road at all,” said Shields, who was hoping the perceived injustice might serve as extra motivation for his Norse. “We don't have any free lunches. We just have to go play.”
Winstel agrees with the thought that her women's team might find its road a little tougher, now that the Norse have established a reputation.
“Even though we were the No.1 seed, we may have snuck up on some people,” she said. “This year, we have a little bit more of a name.”
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