Panthers seek to break skid vs. Norse - Kentucky Wesleyan College Athletics

Kentucky Wesleyan College Athletics

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Kentucky Wesleyan College will face a quick turnaround against a team that has become a major nemesis today at the Sportscenter.

The No. 8 Panthers will try to break a 12-game losing streak to Northern Kentucky when the Norse visit at 3:15 p.m.

KWC (24-3, 13-2 Great Lakes Valley Conference) is coming off a dramatic 75-70 win over Indianapolis where the Panthers made 13-of-16 free throws down the stretch.

"We've got one of the tougher schedules down the stretch of anybody in the country," KWC coach Todd Lee said. "We told the guys we've got a tough four-game stretch (against Indy, Northern Kentucky, Southern Indiana and Bellarmine to close out the regular season before the GLVC Tournament), and even if we do play well we could lose to any of these teams.

"Our guys did a good job of making plays at the end and making free throws (against Indianapolis). We knew it would be tough against Indy. We are just going to have to play very well the rest of the way."

The Panthers will face No. 2 Southern Indiana on Monday in Evansville.

First, though, they face a wounded team in NKU. The Norse (13-11, 6-9) will be trying to bounce back from an 85-77 overtime loss at Bellarmine on Thursday. They got 26 points from center David Palmer, who was 9-of-10 from the floor and also stepped out to make all three of his 3-point shots.

Dennis Gagai added 21 points and drained five 3-pointers against Bellarmine.

Palmer and Gagai were difficult for KWC to handle when the teams met on Jan. 21 in a 67-62 win for the Norse at NKU.

Palmer is a 6-foot-9, 250-pound center who caused a lot of problems defensively for KWC in the first meeting.

"Our post players (Jay Ivey, Chris Williams, Shawn Rouse and Andree' Wilson) against them last game were 3-for-17, and we had seven turnovers in the post," Lee said.

"You have to attack Palmer and make him play defense, but we didn't score enough against him."

Wilson is becoming more of an offensive threat in the middle for KWC, and that could help the Panthers this time.

KWC will have to pay extra attention to Palmer, but also be aware of the perimeter threats that NKU has on the floor, led by Gagai.

* KWC will be host a set of first- and second-round games in the GLVC Tournament.

There will be two other teams coming to the Sportscenter to play at 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27. KWC would play the winner of that game at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 28.

KWC clinched either first or second place in the GLVC East Division with its win over Indianapolis on Thursday.

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