The Northern Kentucky University men’s basketball team returns home to BB&T Arena for a mid-week matchup against Berea College. Tip off for the Wednesday, Nov. 29 showdown is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Game Information
Northern Kentucky University Norse (4-2 Overall, 0-0 Horizon League)
Berea College Mountaineers (2-0 Overall, 0-0 USA South)
Wednesday, Nov. 29 – 7:00 p.m. (ET)
BB&T Arena (9,400) in Highland Heights, Ky.
TV: ESPN3 with Brady Laber (Play-by-Play) and Brad Redford (Color)
Radio: FOXSports1360 with Jim Kelch (Play-by-Play) and Steve Moeller (Color)
Stats: Live Stats
Tickets: Ticketmaster
Fast Break Points
• The Norse dropped their second-straight decision by two points with a 76-74 setback at Memphis on Saturday.
• Northern Kentucky hosts Berea in the fourth matchup ever between the two schools, with NKU sporting a perfect 3-0 record against the Mountaineers.
• NKU has assisted on 66.3 percent (110-of-166) of its made baskets (No. 19 according to KenPom). NKU is averaging 18.3 apg (25th nationally), but is allowing just 9.2 apg and a 35.4 percent assist rate by its opponents, a rate that is the third best in the nation (KenPom).
• Northern Kentucky has forced 103 turnovers on the year, equating to 23.9 percent of opponent’s possessions, the 31st-best mark in the country according to KenPom.com. By comparison, NKU only commits a miscue 16.7 percent of its possessions, ranking 64th best.
• NKU also ranks 12th in 2-point field-goal percent (60.4 percent).
• The 2017-18 season opened with NKU ranked No. 127 in KenPom’s ratings, a stark contrast from one season ago when the Norse opened the year at No. 277. Through games played Monday night, NKU sits at 109th, which is tops in the Horizon League.
• NKU is one of 16 teams in the country to return at least 70 percent of its production in points (77), rebounds (84) and assists (84).
• G Lavone Holland II is averaging 15.7 points and 5.3 assists, which ranks 54th in the nation. He is shooting a career-best 86.7 percent (26-of-30) from the line. Last year he converted 65.9 percent (108-of-164) at the stripe.
• Holland and F Drew McDonald have reached double-figures in all six games. McDonald has also notched two double-doubles and is averaging 14.3 ppg and 7.2 rpg.
• F Carson Williams shot 60.2 percent (139-of-231) last year and is off to an even better start this year, converting 29-of-46 attempts for 63.0 percent. Williams is third on the team in scoring at 12.5 points per game.
• F Jordan Garnett has twice scored a career-high 15 points this season, versus James Madison and at Memphis He is averaging 9.5 points per game, which is more than double his career average (4.2 ppg).
• F Jeff Garrett is a rebound machine, pulling down 35 on the season. He is averaging 5.0 points and 5.8 rebounds a game.
• F Jalen Tate (6.8 ppg), F Dantez Walton (6.7) and G Mason Faulkner (5.8) are also contributing on the offensive end. Faulkner also has 13 assists.
Last Time Out
The Norse led by as many as 16 in a big first half, but an equally impressive second half from the Tigers stymied Northern Kentucky on the road in the Bluff City as Memphis held off two late attempts from NKU in a 76-74 setback. Holland helped account for 41 of NKU’s points, 19 coming in the scoring column and 22 off eight assists from the senior guard. Garnett matched his season-high for the second time this season with 15 points, while McDonald chipped in 10 points and eight rebounds.
U of M led by eight with 2:02 remaining, but NKU used a three from McDonald, free throw by Faulkner, a tip-in courtesy of Walton and another triple by Garnett to close within a point, 75-74, with 25 seconds left. Holland’s attempt at the rim was snuffed away and his three-point try at the buzzer bounced off the rim.
Scouting Berea
NCAA Division III Berea sits at an unblemished 2-0, but hosts Boyce College Tuesday night. A quartet of Mountaineers average double-figures for a BC team that scores at an 82.5 ppg clip. Torrell Carter leads the way at 19 ppg, while both Dyonta Bizzle Brown and Dakota Mays average 17 and Travis Haydn Roe is at 14.
Series Stuff
Northern Kentucky sports an unblemished 3-0 mark against Berea, but the last meeting came in the 1982-83 season when NKU needed overtime to defeat BC in the first round of the NAIA District 32 Tournament. The other two wins came in the 1972-73 and 1973-74 seasons.
#TakeNotice
Bryan
Bryan McEldowney
Assistant Athletic Director
Communications and Media Services
Northern Kentucky University
