Fresh off of back-to-back wins and a seven-day break surrounding the holidays, the Northern Kentucky University men’s basketball team heads to Toledo for its final non-conference game of the year against the Rockets. The contest kicks off a three-game road-swing for the Norse. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
NKU takes on Toledo Wednesday in the first of three straight road games
Game Information
Northern Kentucky University Norse (4-6 Overall, 0-0 Horizon League)
University of Toledo Rockets (8-4 Overall, 0-0 MAC)
Wednesday, 7 p.m.
Savage Arena (7,014) in Toledo, Ohio
TV: ESPN3
Radio: 55KRC (550 AM) with Jim Kelch (Play-by-Play) and Steve Moeller (Analysis)
Fast break points
• NKU won for the third time in the last four games, defeating IU Kokomo, 88-44.
• NKU placed three players in double-figures, led by G Tyler White’s 18 points, and 11 players in the scoring column.
• For the fourth time in the last five games NKU won the rebound battle, topping IUK, 42-26.
• NKU recorded a season-best 24 assists on 33 made shots versus IU Kokomo.
• Four Norse are averaging 10 or more points per game this season, led by F Jalen Billups at 14.7.
• Billups led the nation w/ 69.6% shooting last year, and is among the nation’s leaders at 66.3% (59-89) this year.
• Billups ranks among NKU’s all-time leaders in FG % (2nd, .638), blocks (5th, 110) & blocks per game (11th, 1.1).
• Billups is averaging an impressive 1.65 points per field-goal attempt this season.
• Billups and G Tyler White are climbing NKU’s all-time scoring list. Billups ranks 27th w/ 966 points & White is No. 36 (862).
• White ranks 10th in NKU’s record books with 157-career treys and has his sights set on Tony Rack’s 160.
• White has matched his career-high in assists (7) three times in the last five games and is averaging a career-best 4.4 apg.
• G Lavone Holland II is averaging a team-best 6.5 rebounds per game. He is second on the team in scoring at 11.1 points.
• G Cole Murray has had the hot hand from long range, shooting 46.2% (24-of-52) from behind the arc this year.
• Murray is one of four Norse averaging double-figures this year, checking in at 10.7 ppg.
• In the last four games Murray is averaging 14.8 ppg on the strength of 56.8 percent shooting from the floor.
• F Drew McDonald narrowly missed a double-double against IU Kokomo with 13 points, nine boards in just 11 minutes of action.
Scouting Toledo
Toledo enters Wednesday’s contest at 8-4 overall and has won its last two contests against Bethune-Cookman (102-68) and North Carolina A&T (95-62), both at home. The Rockets boast a high-scoring offense that is averaging 81.6 points per game, while on the defensive end opponents are only scoring at a 71.1 clip. Toledo might as well be honorary members of the Horizon League as the Rockets have already faced Youngstown State (W), Cleveland State (W), Green Bay (W), Detroit (L) and Oakland (L) and went 3-2 in those games.
Jonathan Williams averages 20.1 points to lead three players who score in double-figures. Nathan Boothe is second in scoring (17.8), but leads the team at 8.9 rebounds per game. Stuckey Mosely is UT’s third double-figure scorer at 11.1 points.
Series
NKU is 0-2 all-time against Toledo including a late set-back in last season’s meeting in Highland Heights, Kentucky. White had 10 points and five rebounds and Billups posted nine points and five boards. However, a three-point shot by Julius Brown with 0.7-seconds left completely erased a 17-point first-half NKU advantage and sent Toledo to a 57-55 win. Jonathan Williams scored 15 points in the game and Nathan Boothe pulled down 15 boards.
Last Time: IU Kokomo
Tyler White led three Norse in double-figures with a game-high 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting in Northern Kentucky’s 88-44 victory over visiting IU Kokomo. In total, 11 Norse found the scoring column in a 54.1 percent (33-of-61) team-shooting effort. Drew McDonald chipped in career-highs in scoring (13) and rebounding (9) in the game, narrowly missing a double-double. Cole Murray added 10 points. The win over the Cougars gave the Norse their third win in the last four games, with each triumph coming at home. The last time NKU held an opponent to 45 points or less came in a 72-45 win over North Florida on Feb. 28, 2013. NKU is now 4-1 at home on the season.
Countdown to 1,000 and 500
With 17 points at Eastern Illinois, Billups became the 31st Norse to reach 900 points for his career. His sights are now set on the 1,000-point plateau and he is just 34 points away with 966. Billups also has 493 career boards, which stands just seven away from the top-20 all time. Nine other Norse have reached 1,000 career points and 500 career rebounds, while 23 players have reached the century mark in scoring and 20 have amassed 500 boards.
(From NKU Athletics)
