Monday, March 24, 1997 | 11:59 a.m.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- California State Bakersfield likes close games. Just not this close.
UNLV transfer Kebu Stewart scored 18 points and grabbed 21 rebounds and Jon Gaines hit five 3-pointers as the Roadrunners turned back Northern Kentucky 57-56 Saturday for their third NCAA Division II title in five years.
"We just wanted to keep it close," Bakersfield coach Pat Douglass said. "All year long with five minutes to play, if we're close or have the lead, we're the best team in the nation. If the game is close in the last five minutes, we usually win it."
But the Roadrunners nearly lost the most important one in the final minute.
Northern Kentucky (30-5), which lost in the final to Fort Hays State last year, had a chance to win, but Andy Listerman missed a 5-footer off an inbounds pass as time expired.
Bakersfield (29-4), which led by as many as 15 points in the first half, had to battle off a determined Northern Kentucky comeback in the final minute.
"We realized we were on national TV and we had too much pride to give up in the first 10 minutes of the game," Listerman said.
Stewart gave Bakersfield a 57-54 lead when he hit one of two free throws with 1:05 to go. Northern Kentucky's Cliff Clinton came back 13 seconds later to bank in an off-balance jumper in the lane, slicing the margin to one point.
Stewart went to the line again with 36.9 seconds left, but missed the front end of a one-and-one and Northern Kentucky rebounded.
"I was confident," Stewart said. "I thought I was going to make at least one. I had a lot of things going through my mind but the guys said and the coaches said don't worry about it."
Northern Kentucky then worked nearly 32 seconds off the clock before Shannon Minor missed a 3-point attempt from the corner. Stewart was there for the rebound with 3.9 seconds to go, but again missed the front end of the bonus to give the Norse another opportunity for a victory.
After a timeout, Northern Kentucky's Todd Clark threw the inbounds pass the full length of the court, but it was deflected out of bounds under the Norse basket by Bakersfield's Marlon Johnson with 2.5 seconds left. Listerman took the inbounds pass from brother Kevin, but under heavy defensive pressure, his shot fell short of the basket as time ran out.
Listerman thought he was fouled on the shot.
"I just missed it," he said. "I thought I got fouled. I was kind of surprised. I knew I didn't have much time. Officials are not going to make a call like that. They are going to let players decide the game and not make that call."
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