By Don Owen
NKyTribune reporter
A tough road trip behind his team, Northern Kentucky University head coach John Brannen glanced ahead after his Norse dropped a 64-58 decision at then-No. 8 Texas A&M on Dec. 19.
“Our players are frustrated because they’re not used to losing two in a row,” Brannen said, pointing out NKU began the two-game trip with a 76-75 defeat at Maryland-Baltimore County on Dec. 17. “I’m pleased with our execution, but you have to step up and make shots. We haven’t done that consistently, and we are going to have to now that we’re about to start league play.”
NKU enters Thursday night’s Horizon League opener with a 7-5 record, but three of the Norse’s losses have been by a combined five points. (Brian Gonzalez/UMBC)
IUPUI features three players scoring in double figures, led by Aaron Brennan’s 11.8 points per game. Ron Patterson is scoring at an 11.6 clip and leads the Jaguars in 3-pointers made with 27, while teammate T.J. Henderson averages 11.4 points per contest.
Henderson scored a career-high 19 points on Dec. 22 to lead IUPUI to an 87-76 victory against IU Kokomo. Patterson added 16 points as the Jaguars halted their six-game losing streak. IUPUI finished with a commanding 54-28 advantage in points in the paint.
NKU is several possessions from possibly being 11-1 as it begins Horizon League play. Three of NKU’s losses (66-64 vs. Vermont, 76-74 at Memphis, 76-75 at UMBC) have been by a total of five points. The Norse were also down by just three points with less than a minute to play in the game at Texas A&M.
Junior forward Drew McDonald leads NKU in scoring (16.1 ppg) and rebounding (7.6 rpg). McDonald has collected double-doubles in the past two games and now has 20 in his career. He scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds against Texas A&M on Dec. 19. McDonald has scored in double figures in each game this season, with a high of 24 against UMBC.
Sophomore forward Carson Williams averages 14.9 points per game and is shooting a Horizon League-leading 68.9 percent from the field.
Senior point guard Lavone Holland II leads the Horizon League in assists (5.2 apg) and averages 13.9 points per game. Holland enters Thursday night with 974 career points and is looking to join McDonald as current NKU players in the school’s 1,000-point club.
NKU owns a 4-1 lead in the all-time series with IUPUI, but the two programs have not played since Dec. 19, 1984, when the Norse posted an 82-62 victory in Regents Hall. In that game, Larry Hock and Dan Fleming combined for 40 points to lead NKU. Hock scored 22, while Fleming added 18.
NKU is 5-0 at home this season and has won 11 consecutive games at BB&T Arena dating back to last season. The Norse have not lost at home since dropping a 79-70 decision to Oakland on Jan. 20, 2017.
Horizon League standings (records as of Dec. 27)
Overall / Horizon League
Oakland – 8-5 / 0-0
Wright State – 8-5 / 0-0
Northern Kentucky – 7-5 / 0-0
Milwaukee – 7-6 / 0-0
Green Bay – 5-8 / 0-0
Illinois-Chicago – 5-8 / 0-0
Detroit Mercy – 4-9 / 0-0
IUPUI – 3-8 / 0-0
Cleveland State – 3-9 / 0-0
Youngstown State – 2-10 / 0-0
Contact Don Owen at don@nkytrib.com
