EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Despite a furious second-half run that erased an 18-point deficit, the University of Southern Indiana fell to Northern Kentucky University 84-82 in the first semifinal of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament at Roberts Stadium on Friday night.

USI (23-6) had four players score in double figures, including Diond're Givens, who scored 16 points on 7 of 10 shooting. Clarence Chillers and Cris Brunson each added 15 points, and Billy Harris contributed 12 points and seven rebounds for the Eagles.

The Eagles (ranked No. 19 nationally and the tournament's No. 2 seed) clawed back from a 13-point halftime deficit (50-37) with a 24-10 run that cut the lead to four (67-63) with 7:10 left. During that span, a double-technical foul on NKU's Chris Seabrooks (9 points) sent USI to the free-throw line for six free throws – five of which were converted. Harris' jumper with 1:14 remaining tied the score at 81 and set the stage for NKU sophomore Jordan Stowers.

Stowers scored only three points in the game, but they came with a layup and a free throw with 33.3 seconds remaining and gave the Norse (24-5) a three-point lead that USI was unable to overcome.

Brenden Stowers scored a game-high 23 points on 8-of-15 shooting and added four rebounds, six assists and three steals for NKU, which advances to its first-ever GLVC championship game.
The Norse, who are ranked No. 10 nationally and who are the tournament's No. 3 seed, finished with four players scoring in double figures, including sophomore Mike Kelsey (18 points, four treys), Quentin Smith (11 points, nine rebounds) and Bobby St-Preux (10 points, six rebounds).

The championship game of the GLVC Tournament will be played Saturday night at 7 p.m. (CST) in Roberts Stadium. NKU will face the winner of the second semifinal, which features Kentucky Wesleyan College and Lewis University.