By Don Owen
NKyTribune reporter
Northern Kentucky’s Tyler Sharpe sizzled from long range last week, and the torrid-shooting lefty from Mt. Washington has been rewarded for his performance by the Horizon League.
On Monday, Sharpe was named Horizon League Player of the Week for the second time this season. He averaged 25.5 points in a pair of wins, including a 33-point effort against Youngstown State.
The Bullitt East High School graduate also drained nine 3-pointers in that victory, the most treys by a Norse since moving to the NCAA Division I level.
NKU’s Tyler Sharpe was named Horizon League Player of the Week on Monday after averaging 25.5 points in two victories. (Photo by Jeff McCurry)
The senior guard made 58 percent of his shots from the field and 67 percent (12-of-18) from long range. He also added 3.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals per game in the two wins.
Sharpe also earned the honor on Dec. 16 after pouring in 30 points against Illinois State. NKU has now had a player earn the Horizon League award five times this season, including the three straight that Dantez Walton garnered in the weeks leading up to Sharpe’s first honor.
For the season, Sharpe averages 16.5 points per game and has buried a team-leading 55 shots from 3-point range. He also tops the team with 37 steals and enters Friday’s game at Wright State with 1,042 career points with the Norse.
FAULKNER EXTENDS STREAK: NKU sophomore guard Trevon Faulkner has scored in double figures the past eight games, including a 24-point performance against Cleveland State on Saturday night.
Faulkner averaged 23.0 points per game last week and shot 69.6 percent from the field. The former Kentucky Mr. Basketball also made all 11 of his free throws in the two NKU victories and played a key role in the Norse defense that stymied both Youngstown State and Cleveland State.
Faulkner averages 13.5 points per game. The Mercer County High School product has also recorded 28 steals and is shooting 79.5 percent from the free-throw line.
WALTON INJURY UPDATE: NKU leading scorer Dantez Walton, who has missed the past nine games with an injury to his upper chest/shoulder area, is still on the sidelines and the timetable for his return is unknown.
“He’s making progress. He’s starting to do a few more things,” NKU head coach Darrin Horn said. “But he’s still a ways away from live contact, and even when that happens, it has to happen for a period of time before we feel comfortable putting him back in games.”
Walton averages 18.4 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-6 senior is also shooting 54 percent from the field and 41.7 percent from 3-point range.
BATTE RECEIVES HONOR: Thomas More’s Ryan Batte has been named Mid-South Conference Player of the Week in men’s basketball after averaging 23.0 points and 5.5 rebounds in a pair of wins. Batte shot 64.5 percent as the Saints (14-4) defeated Cumberland (Tenn.) and Life (Ga.).
SCHULTZ EARNS AWARD: Thomas More’s Emily Schultz averaged 16.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per game in two wins to earn Mid-South Conference Player of the Week in women’s basketball. Schultz netted 22 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in Thomas More’s road win at Life (Ga.) on Saturday. She also scored 10 points during a home victory against Cumberland (Tenn.) last week.
Contact Don Owen at don@nkytrib.com and follow him on Twitter at @dontribunesport
