Men's hoops gets Big Sky break, ready to host Johnson & Wales

GAME DAY NOTES: vs. Johnson & Wales
BSC NOTES: Feb. 9, 2009

GAME DETAILS
Date: Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2009
   Tip: 7:05 p.m. (MT)
Location: Greeley, Colo.
   Venue: Butler-Hancock (2,734)
Television: BigSkyTV.org
   Play-by-play: Troy Coverdale
   Analyst: N/A
   Sideline: N/A
Radio: 1310 KFKA (Greeley)
   Play-by-play: Troy Coverdale
   Web stream: 1310KFKA.com
Live stats: none
Series: NC, 3-0
   Last: NC, 84-65 (2-12-08)

SOME STORY LINES

• Northern Colorado, the Big Sky Conference’s “lone wolf”, reaches an empty week in the league’s scheduling. Because of that, the Bears have two nonconference games this week against Johnson & Wales and North Dakota.

• The Bears are 3-0 all-time against Johnson & Wales, but that doesn’t mean the Bears have been perfect against the Wildcats. NC committed 31 turnovers in their first meeting last season, which was the Bears’ most all year.

• That said, it would be an upset if the Bears were to lose tonight, to an NAIA Division II team. The Wildcats lost 83-62 earlier this year to Black Hills State. Northern Colorado defeated BHSU 91-62 in its exhibition opener.

• The Bears finished 4-4 in February last season, which was the school’s first non-losing February since going 5-4 in February 1992. Northern Colorado is 1-1 this February, following a split last week against Weber St. and Idaho St.

SERIES HISTORY
2007-08: NC, 84-65 - (H)
2007-08: NC, 62-51 (H)
2003-04: NC, 93-57 (H)

ABOUT THE WILDCATS

• Johnson & Wales, an NAIA Division II team out of Denver, comes into tonight’s game the winner of two-in-a-row, following a two-game swing last weekend through south Florida (Ave Maria University and Johnson & Wales - North Miami).

• Wildcats guard MJ Crespin (9.8 ppg this year) is no stranger to Greeley. He played his high school ball at Northridge High School in Greeley, where he also starred on the baseball diamond.

• J&W, which has 11 wins this season after winning just five in 2006-07 and 2007-08, have played just one common opponent with Northern Colorado. The Wildcats fell by 21 (83-62) earlier this year to Black Hills State, which the Bears defeated 91-62.