Wright State University enters BB&T Arena on Saturday, Jan. 9, in the first-ever home Horizon League contest for the Northern Kentucky University men’s basketball team, which is playing its inaugural season in the league.
Tipoff is set for 1 p.m.
Game Information
Northern Kentucky University Norse (4-9 Overall, 0-2 Horizon League)
Wright State University Raiders (7-8 Overall, 1-1 Horizon League)
Saturday, Jan. 9 – 1 p.m. (ET)
BB&T Arena (9,400) in Highland Heights, Ky.
TV: ESPN3 with Brady Laber (Play-by-Play) and Brad Redford (Analysis)
Radio: FOXSports1360 (1360 AM) with Jim Kelch (Play-by-Play) and Steve Moeller (Analysis)
NKU hosts Wright State Saturday in the first Horizon League home game for the Norse (NKU Athletics Photo)
Promotions
• Winter Hat Giveaway – First 500 fans receive a Victor E. Viking winter hat
• Youth Basketball Day – Kids who come in a jersey receive FREE admission
• Boone Co. Day – $5 tickets with proof of residency
• Mascot Basketball at halftime
• Inflatable slide and bounce house available to kids for free
• Shoot-Around Saturday – Boys 6th grade and younger and girls 8th grade and younger can join the team on the court after the game for a shoot-around following the game and get player autographs
• #4for40 Day – Get four tickets, four hot dogs and four sodas for $40
Fast Break Points
• NKU hosts Wright State on Saturday in the first-ever home Horizon League men’s basketball game for the Norse.
• NKU and WSU will renew a rivalry that saw 26 contests while both were DII programs.
• NKU won nearly every hustle stat at Milwaukee, points in paint (40-36), points off TO (15-9), 2nd chance (12-4) and fast-break (11-9).
• Three Norse are averaging 10 or more points per game this season, led by F Jalen Billups at 13.5.
• NKU is playing its inaugural season in the Horizon League this year after moving to the league on July 1, 2015.
• The Norse are eligible to compete in the #HLMBB championship, Motor City Madness, in its final season of reclassification to Division I.
• F Billups needs just five points to become the 24th Norse to score 1,000 career points.
• Billups led the nation w/ 69.6% shooting last year, and is among the nation’s leaders at 64.0% (71-111) this year.
• Billups ranks among NKU’s all-time leaders in FG % (2nd, .635), blocks (5th, 115) & blocks per game (11th, 1.1).
• Billups is averaging an impressive 1.59 points per field-goal attempt this season.
• Billups and G Tyler White are climbing NKU’s all-time scoring list. Billups ranks t-24th w/ 995 points & White is No. 33 (894).
• White ranks 10th in NKU’s record books with 158-career treys and has his sights set on Tony Rack’s 160.
• G Lavone Holland II is averaging a team-best 6.0 rebounds per game. He is 2nd on the team in scoring at 12.7 points.
• G Cole Murray has had the hot hand from long range, shooting 39.7% (27-of-68) from behind the arc this year.
• Murray is averaging a career-high 9.9 points per game.
• F Drew McDonald was named #HLMBB Freshman of the Week after averaging 15 points, nine rebounds in games at Toledo and Green Bay.
• After flirting w/ double-doubles the last few games, McDonald recorded the first of his career with 12 points, 13 rebounds at GB.
• In the last five games, McDonald is averaging 13.2 points on 54.5 percent shooting (24-of-44) and 8.4 rebounds per game.
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 five points away with 995. Billups eclipsed 500 rebounds with a six-board outing at Green Bay to become the 21st player in school history to reach the mark. He now has 507 and ranks 20th all-time. Nine other Norse have reached 1,000 career points and 500 career rebounds, while 23 players have reached the 1,000-point plateau in scoring.
Countdown to 900
With 894 points, White is on the cusp of joining Billups as a member of 900-point club. The Lima, Ohio, native needs just six points to become the 32nd player in team history to reach the mark.
NKU Women: Norse take to the road to face Wright State
The Northern Kentucky University women’s basketball team will take to the road for the first time in Horizon League action, as the Norse pay visit to Wright State for a Saturday matinee. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m., with the action carried live on ESPN3.
Game Information
Northern Kentucky University Norse (9-4, 1-1 Horizon League)
Wright State University Raiders (12-3, 2-0 Horizon League)
Jan. 9 – 2 p.m.
Ervin J. Nutter Center (11,019) – Dayton, Ohio
TV: ESPN3 // Scott Leo (PBP) and Justin Kinner (Analyst)
Series History: (all-time) NKU leads, 12-2
Last Time Out – Kasey Uetrecht’s trey with 5.8 seconds remaining pushed NKU to a 55-53 win over UIC on New Year’s Day. The sophomore forward finished with a team-high 14 points, including 11 in the second half and each of NKU’s final six points. Christine Roush added an 11-point effort while Molly Glick and Molly Franson chipped in with nine points each.
The win was NKU’s first in Horizon League play and closed a seven-game home stand that encapsulated the month of December.
About Wright State – The Raiders are off to a strong start in League play, posting wins over Valparaiso and UIC last weekend to rebound from a 63-57 loss at home to Georgia. Wright State’s offense has been dominant this season, with the Raiders averaging 81 points per game and posting four games of 90 or more points.
Kim Demmings, returning to action after missing the 2014-15 season to injury, is leading the Radiers’ scoring efforts, as well as the League, with 18.6 points per game. Emily Vogelpohl, two-time Horizon League Freshman of the Week, is scoring at a 13.1 point clip while averaging 4.0 assists and 2.9 steals, both ranking her in the League’s top five.
The Series – NKU holds a 12-2 lead in an all-time series that was suspended for 28 years following an NCAA Tournament matchup in the 1986-87 season. The teams renewed their rivalry last season, with the Raiders taking a 72-60 victory at BB&T Arena. Melody Doss posted her second double-double of the 2014-15 season with 17 points and 14 rebounds, while Tay’ler Mingo’s 19 points paced the Raiders’ effort.
In the Clutch – With the two-point victory over UIC on Jan. 1, the Norse picked up their fourth win of the season by six or fewer points. The Norse also bested Robert Morris on the road by a two-point margin, 72-70, on a strong fourth-quarter comeback.
NKU’s five-point win over Marquette, 83-78, was keyed by a season-high 27 points from Christine Roush, while NKU’s home opener was a six-point decision over Indiana State, 73-67. A 22-12 fourth-quarter edge pushed the Norse over the Sycamores.
Commanding Control – Entering the Wright State contest, NKU stands as one of the most turnover-hungry teams in Division I. The Norse are forcing an average of 19.2 turnovers per game, and have upped that average to 22.3 over their previous three games against UIC, Valpo and Akron.
NKU continues to lead the League in turnover margin, both in conference and overall play. The Norse are +9.5 on the ledger through two Horizon League contests, and their +5.2 margin through 13 total games ranks 21st in the nation.
Fast Break Points
• Northern Kentucky picked up its first Horizon League win ever with a 55-53 win over UIC last Friday.
• The Norse improved to 4-3 this season in games decided by six points or fewer.
• NKU’s 12.2-point average margin of victory overall ranks second in the Horizon Leauge and 59th nationally.
• NKU has held its League opponents to 57 points per game, ranking second in the League.
• NKU has continued its dominating possession game into League play, posting a +9.5 turnover margin to lead the League.
• NKU’s overall turnover margin of +5.2 ranks 21st in the nation.
• The Norse have forced 67 turnovers over the last three games, an average of 22.3 per game.
• The Norse continue to rank second in the League in FG shooting (44.3%) and lead the League in FT shooting (77.0%).
• NKU’s 77.0 percent free-throw accuracy ranks eighth among all Division I programs.
• Tonight’s contest will be NKU’s first road game since Nov. 29, when NKU defeated Robert Morris, 72-70.
• NKU has averaged 70.3 points per game away from BB&T Arena this season.
• F Kasey Uetrecht went 3-for-6 from long range, including the game-winning trey in a 14-point effort against UIC.
• G Christine Roush remains one of the top scoring threats in the League, averaging 16.2 points to rank fourth among Horizon players.
• Roush leads the Horizon League and ranks 14th nationally in free-throw percentage at 89.7 percent.
• Roush has played every minute in each of the last two games for the Norse, and is one of two players averaging over 30 minutes per game.
• F Rebecca Lyttle has averaged a team-best 17.3 points over the last three games, playing almost 35 minutes a game.
• Lyttle has also amassed three blocks and five steals over the three-game span, both team highs.
• G Rianna Gayheart’s 2.1 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks fifth in the Horizon League. She has dished out 41 dimes on the year.
From NKU Athletics
