HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. -- Amber Shelton hit the game-winning shot with four seconds left as Southern Illinois University collected its fifth straight win with a 65-64 triumph at No. 10-ranked Northern Kentucky.
         The Cougars had lost the last five meetings against the Norse and hadn't won in Regents Hall since 1998. But Saturday, Shelton's jumper made all the difference.
         Her shot capped a 10-for-19 shooting performance with a game-high 24 points. Shelton also grabbed a team-high eight rebounds and three steals.
         SIUE improved to 5-0, matching its start from last season. More importantly, SIUE is off to a 2-0 start in the Great Lakes Valley Conference, its best beginning in the last five seasons under Coach Wendy Hedberg.
         Northern Kentucky, ranked No. 10 in last week's WBCA/NCAA Division II poll, took its first loss and is now 3-1 overall and 1-1 in the GLVC.
         The two teams tied each other nine times during the game, the last time on a pair of free throws by NKU's Nicole Chiodi with 7:17 to play in the game. Northern Kentucky used a 10-2 run to take the lead 60-54 as Angela Healy put the Norse up.
         SIUE battled back with a layup and three free throws by WHitney Sykes with 2:17 to play. Becky Tenholder cut the lead to one at 1:48 on a 12-footer.
         Healy, who led NKU's offense with 21 points, answered with a layup in the paint with 1:29 left to play. It was a Healy foul that would send Shelton to the line for a pair of successful free throws at 1:08, cutting the lead back to one at 64-63.
         NKU missed a layup with 42 seconds left, rebounded the ball and then turned the ball over as Shelton stole the ball with 28 seconds left.
         After an SIUE timeout, SIUE ran down the clock for the final successful shot.
                  -siue cougars-