HIGHLAND HTS., KY. - Calvin Sykes sunk a three-pointer at the buzzer to lift Southern Illinois University Edwardsville to a 66-65 road triumph over Northern Kentucky on Thursday.
         The victory extended SIUE's win streak to four and was the first time SIUE has swept a home-and-away series with Northern Kentucky since joining the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
         The Cougars, 13-9 overall and 9-7 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, went into the night looking to hold on to its fifth-place position in the GLVC race.
         With late games to play in the GLVC, SIUE's win may have secured SIUE's spot in next month's GLVC Championships. The Cougars have not been to the eight-team GLVC Tournament for four years.
         In Thursday's game, Northern Kentucky raced out to a 24-9 lead before SIUE closed the gap to six points by halftime.
         Northern Kentucky, 14-11 overall and 7-9 in the GLVC, picked up 23 points and 15 rebounds from Jesse Rupe. NKU was missing sharpshooter Mike Kelsey, who sat his second straight game with an injury.
         The Cougars came out strong in the second half, controlling the ball with just six turnovers for the game. Dan Heimos blocked five NKU shots. SIUE shot 14 of 23 in the second half and didn't miss any of its eight free throw attempts.
         Joel Jaye came off the bench for 14 points, including four three-pointers. SIUE had nine three-pointers for the game.
         But it was a night for Sykes.
         Sykes led SIUE with a career-high 22 points. He scored SIUE's final 11 points, including the game-winner at the buzzer. The game went back and forth in the final seconds.
         The lead was tied twice and changed four times in the final 60 seconds of the game.
         Rupe scored on a jumper with 58 seconds left to give NKU a 60-58 lead. Sykes then scored a layup and was fouled by Rupe. After converting the three-point play, SIUE led 61-60 with 43 seconds left. Rupe charged back with a layup and free throw of his own to give NKU the lead at 63-61 with 16 seconds left.
         Sykes tied the game 63-63 with a layup with 10 seconds left. NKU's Steve Purdon countered with a jumper with three seconds left. After an NKU timeout, the left-handed Sykes who had missed his first 13 three-point attempts this season, connected on a three-pointer for the triumphant Cougars.
                -siue cougars-