NKyTribune staff
Northern Kentucky University begins Horizon League play Friday at 7 p.m. by hosting IUPUI at BB&T Arena.
NKU enters the game with a 10-3 record, its best start since transitioning to Division I in 2012-13. The Norse are 8-0 at BB&T Arena this season and own a 31-4 record at home since the start of the 2016-17 campaign.
IUPUI is 8-5 entering Horizon League play. The Jaguars have lost two in a row (87-77 setback to Purdue Fort Wayne, and a 74-70 defeat at Morehead State) going into Friday. Cameron Justice, a transfer from Vanderbilt, paces IUPUI at 21.0 points per game. The Jaguars average 79.5 points per game and surrender 72.4 ppg.
NKU’s Tyler Sharpe is second on the team in scoring at 14.2 points per game. Sharpe has made at least three 3-pointers in eight of the last nine games. (Photo by Jeff McCurry)
McDonald leads five Norse averaging double digits on the year at 18.3 points per game. He also paces NKU with 9.5 rebounds per game .His six double-doubles rank 14th nationally, and he is one of just 16 players to register a triple-double so far this year.
McDonald collected his third Horizon League Player of the Week three days ago, and the seventh of his career, following his 15-point, 12-rebound effort to help the Norse defeat Northern Illinois last Thursday. The Cold Spring native is one of five active players in Division I basketball with at least 1,600 career points (1,669) and 800 career boards (886).
Tyler Sharpe is second on the team in scoring at 14.2 points per game. Sharpe has made at least three 3-pointers in eight of the last nine games.
Dantez Walton is averaging 11.6 points and 6.1 rebounds. In his first two seasons as a Norse, he posted nine combined double-figure scoring games. He already has 10 double-digit scoring outputs this year.
Zaynah Robinson directs the Norse offense and owns a team-best 3.5 assists per game. He is also averaging 9.5 points per game. Jalen Tate averages 11.9 points, 4.4 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game this year. He’s registered 28 assists to only 13 turnovers and is making 51.4 percent (36-of-70) of his shots.
In its last game, NKU gutted out a 65-62 victory over Northern Illinois at BB&T Arena. NKU placed four players in double figures, with McDonald’s 15 points and 12 rebounds leading the way.
(Information compiled from NKU Athletics Communications and staff reports)
Go Norse. Win every game. Good players, good coaches, good support. Good combinations.