The Cincinnati Enquirer

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. - Quentin Smith scored 19 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and made two key free throws late in the game Saturday as Northern Kentucky University defeated Lewis University 76-72.

NKU held a 72-69 lead in the final minute when Randy Wright attempted a game-tying 3-point shot. Wright's shot missed, and Smith grabbed the rebound and was fouled with 23 seconds remaining.

Smith converted both free throws to extend NKU's lead to 74-69, but Monta McGhee responded for Lewis by hitting a 3-pointer with 15 seconds left to slice the deficit to 74-72. After Brenden Stowers made one of two free throws with 10 seconds remaining to give NKU a 75-72 advantage, Lewis' Stan Strong launched a 3-point attempt that was off target.

Mike Kelsey, who scored 18 points, made one free throw to seal the victory for NKU (22-5, 16-4 Great Lakes Valley Conference).

The Norse clinched the No. 3 seed in the GLVC Tournament. NKU, ranked 13th in NCAA Division II, will meet sixth-seeded Wisconsin-Parkside (13-14) in the first round at 3:30 p.m. Thursday in Evansville, Ind.

NKU (22-5, 16-4 GLVC) - Kelsey 5-9 3-4 18, Smith 7-14 4-8 19, St-Preux 6-9 0-0 15, B.Stowers 5-12 2-4 12, Seabrooks 2-6 0-1 4, J.Stowers 0-1 0-0 0, Howell 0-0 0-0 0, Rowland 0-1 0-0 0, Rupe 2-5 4-6 8. Totals: 27-57 13-23 76.

LEWIS (21-6, 14-6) - Strong 2-7 0-0 5, Hunter 6-10 1-3 14, McGhee 3-13 5-7 12, Holmes 5-8 2-2 12, Real 8-10 3-4 19, Callahan 0-1 0-0 0, Scala 0-0 0-0 0, Piercy 0-0 2-2 2, Wright 3-5 0-0 8. Totals: 27-54 13-18 72.

Halftime: LU 38, NKU 37. 3-pointers: NKU 9-17 (Kelsey 5-8, Smith 1-1, St-Preux 3-5, B.Stowers 0-3), LU 5-17 (Strong 1-5, Hunter 1-2, McGhee 1-5, Real 0-1, Wright 2-4). Rebounds: NKU 34 (Smith 10), LU 31 (Holmes 9, Real 9). Assists: NKU 16 (Kelsey 5, B.Stowers 5), LU 17 (Wright 6). Technical fouls - None. Attendance - 850.

Women: NKU 81, Lewis 59

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. - Amy Mobley scored 25 points and grabbed nine rebounds for NKU.

Mobley also added five assists and three blocked shots for the Norse, ranked No. 21 in the NCAA Division II poll. Sharell Snardon came off the bench and made all seven of her field goal attempts and finished with 15 points and five rebounds as the Norse improved to 20-6 (15-5).

The Norse locked up the No. 2 seed in the upcoming GLVC Tournament and will meet seventh-seeded Wisconsin-Parkside at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the first round in Evansville, Ind.

NKU has defeated Lewis 10 consecutive times dating

back to the 1997-98 season. The Norse lead the

all-time series with Lewis, 33-3.

NKU (20-6, 15-5 GLVC) - Burrows 0-2 0-0 0, Myers 4-9 3-8 11, Mobley 7-17 10-15 25, Flanagan 4-10 1-2 10, Polosky 1-5 4-4 6, Marx 0-0 0-0 0, Sterling 1-2 0-0 2, Snardon 7-7 1-3 15, Phillips 0-0 1-2 1, Brock 3-5 4-4 11. Totals: 27-57 24-38 81.

LEWIS (9-18, 5-15) - Glenn 3-14 0-0 6, Lyles 1-11 0-0 2, Wong 4-19 4-5 13, Smith 1-4 1-2 3, Thompson 1-6 1-2 3, Stark 0-0 0-0 0, Harris 0-2 0-0 0, Hutt 0-0 0-0 0, Sliwa 1-1 0-0 2, Buchholz 4-8 2-2 12, Grappin 3-6 0-0 8, Francik 1-3 0-0 2, Callahan 4-9 0-2 8. Totals: 23-83 8-13 59.

Halftime: NKU 46, LU 22. 3-pointers: NKU 3-15 (Burrows 0-1, Mobley 1-5, Flanagan 1-6, Sterling 0-1, Brock 1-2 ), LU 5-25 (Glenn 0-2, Lyles 0-5, Wong 1-5, Thompson 0-1, Harris 0-2, Buchholz 2-5, Grappin 2-3, Callahan 0-2). Rebounds: NKU 52 (Myers 10), LU 45 (Wong 13). Assists: NKU 21 (Mobley 5, Flanagan 5, Polosky 5), LU 15 (Wong 3). Technical fouls - None. Attendance - 315.

Buffalo 69, Miami 64

Buffalo buried five free throws with less than a minute to play, snapping Miami's five-game winning streak and tightening the Mid-American Conference East Division race.

Buffalo improved to 17-9 (9-6).

East Division leader Miami (15-11, 10-5) led 40-30 at the half but was dogged by 16 percent shooting in the second half. Heather Cusick led the RedHawks with 16 points and five assists.

The RedHawks host Marshall at 7 p.m. Tuesday in their last regular-season game. Jana Butler, Heather Cusick and Beth Roederer will be honored as part of Senior Night.

BUFFALO (17-9, 9-6 MAC) - Kochendorfer 3-6 4-4 10, Martin 5-9 1-2 11, McMeekin-Ruscoe 7-16 6-7 20, Bennett 2-7 2-2 6, Cook 3-8 1-2 8, Burd 0-1 2-2 2, Kilpela 2-2 1-2 5, Lawrenson 1-1 1-1 3, Meunier 0-1 2-2 2, Hedges 1-1 0-0 2. Totals: 24-52 20-24 69.

MIAMI (15-11, 10-5) - Kozlowski 4-8 1-2 13, Roederer 3-7 2-2 9, Day 4-12 1-3 9, Butler 0-2 0-0 0, Cusick 5-16 5-6 16, Beck 0-1 0-0 0, Motto 0-3 0-0 0, Smith 6-8 1-2 13, Merrill 1-2 2-4 4, Miller 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 23-59 12-19 64.

Halftime: MU 40, B 30. 3-pointers: B 1-4 (McMeeken-Ruscoe 0-2, Bennett 0-1, Cook 1-1), MU 6-20 (Kozlowski 4-8, Roederer 1-2, Day 0-1, Cusick 1-6, Motto 0-3). Rebounds: B 29 (Kochendorfer 7), MU 41 (Smith 9). Assists: B 17 (Cook 6), MU 14 (Cusick 5). Technical fouls - None. Attendance - 630.

Mount St. Joseph 64, Franklin 59

Christina Brown scored 16 points and Virginia Grace added 12 points and 13 rebounds as the Lions claimed the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament championship. Grace was tournament MVP. Mount St. Joseph (19-9) receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III tournament.

Jenny Cramer led Franklin (18-9) with 13 points.

MOUNT ST. JOSEPH (19-9) - Petty 3-6 5-8 11, Day 3-6 1-2 10, Reid 3-10 1-2 8, Grace 5-13 2-7 12, Brown 8-13, Marshall 0-0 0-0 0, Grilliot 0-1 0-1 0, Meyer 3-8 1-4 7. Totals: 25-57 10-24 64.

FRANKLIN (18-9) - Roberson 1-9 3-3 5, Cooper 1-7 2-2 4, Cramer 6-11 0-0 13, Moorman 1-6 1-1 3, Hoskins 2-3 2-4 6, Ballard 3-5 5-5 11, Waugh 3-10 0-0 8, Caudill 1-3 0-1 2, Carrigan 1-5 0-1 2, Stevens 2-5 0-0 5, Ellis 0-1 0-0 0. Totals: 21-65 13-17 59.

Halftime: MSJ 34, FC 25. 3-pointers: MSJ 4-9 (Petty 0-1, Day 3-5, Reid 1-2, Brown 0-1), FC 4-21 (Roberson 0-4, Cooper 0-3, Cramer 1-2, Waugh 2-7, Carrigan 0-3, Stevens 1-2). Rebounds: MSJ 47 (Grace 13), FC 41 (Moorman 7). Assists: MSJ 17 (Reid 5), FC 13 (Cooper 5). Technical fouls - None. Attendance - 805.

Cincinnati State 63, Owens 53

Cincinnati State won its sixth straight Ohio Community College Athletic Conference championship, sparked by tournament MVP Kendra Bailey's 15 points and 20 rebounds. All-tournament selection Brandi Hollingsworth added 12 points for the Surge.

Cincinnati State (25-3, 14-1), winner of the OCCAC regular-season championship, hosts Vincennes in the National Junior College Athletic Association Region 12 championship at 7 p.m. Thursday.

OWENS COMMUNITY COLLEGE (N/A) - Wilson 5 0 11, Willis 1 4 6, Rayle 2 0 4, Borst 5 12 23, Weiland 0 6 6, Cooper 0 1 1, Kubicek 1 0 2. Totals: 14 23 53.

CINCINNATI STATE (25-3, 14-1 OCCAC) - Polk 5 3 13, Billengsly 3 1 7, Head 4 0 8, Bailey 6 3 15, Hollingsworth 3 4 12, Silas 1 0 2, Parsons 3 0 6. Totals: 25 11 63.

Halftime: 34, OCC 20. 3-pointers: OCC Wilson, Borst. CS Hollingsworth 2. Rebounds: OCC 34 (Borst 6), CS 46 (Bailey 20). Assists: OCC 5 (Rayle 3), CS 10 (Polk 4).