Northern Kentucky plays host to Detroit Mercy in Horizon League men’s basketball action when the Titans come to BB&T Arena Sunday, Jan. 28 for a 1 p.m. tip. The Norse defeated the Titans earlier this season and are coming off just their second home loss of the year Friday night.
Game Information
Northern Kentucky University Norse (14-7 Overall, 7-2 Horizon League)
University of Detroit Mercy Titans (6-16 Overall, 2-7 Horizon League)
Sunday, Jan. 28 – 1:00 p.m. (ET)
BB&T Arena (9,400) in Highland Heights, Ky.
TV: CW Cincinnati or ESPN3 (Blacked out in Cincinnati Market) with Brady Laber (Play-by-Play) and Brad Redford (Color)
Radio: ESPN1530 (1530 AM) with Jim Kelch (Play-by-Play) and Steve Moeller (Color)
Stats: Live Stats
Tickets: Ticketmaster
How to Watch
The CW Cincinnati broadcasts on channel 12.2 and, with the use of an antenna, can be viewed by every home in the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati area. The CW Cincinnati is available on Spectrum Cable (channel 20 in OH / 25 in KY), Cincinnati Bell Fi-Optics (17) and DirecTV (25).
Fast Break Points
• NKU dropped just its second home game of the season and fourth in the last two years with an 83-70 setback versus Oakland on Friday night.
• The Norse are now second in the Horizon League standings, one game behind Wright State.
• NKU is one of 15 teams in the country to use the same starting lineup in every game.
• Dating back to the start of the 2016-17 season, and including the #HLMBB Championship, NKU has won 22 of its last 30 games (.733) against League opponents.
• The Norse are 4-1 all-time versus Detroit Mercy, which includes a 56-54 win in Detroit earlier this year.
• Northern Kentucky is 19th in the nation in 2-point field goal percent (57.2).
• NKU is averaging 16.7 assists per game, a mark that ranks 34th in the nation. It also only commits 11.9 turnovers an outing, which ranks 54th nationally. Combining those two marks results in an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.41, the 21st best in the country.
• NKU forces the 34th-most turnovers per game in the nation (15.9) and allows teams to distribute just 11.2 assists per game.
• NKU is 21st in the country in steals (8.3 spg) and has registered double-digit steals seven times on the year, including five times in the last eight games.
• NKU’s 3-point field goal defense ranks 23rd in the nation at 30.8 percent.
• Through games played Jan. 26, NKU sits 78th on KenPom.com, which is tops in the Horizon League.
• The Norse are 23rd in the CollegeInsider.Com Mid-Major Top-25 Poll and 24th in the Mid-Major Madness Power Rankings.
• F Drew McDonald has been on an absolute tear in registering double-doubles. He has seven in the last 11 games and nine total on the year, 25th most in the nation. The Horizon League Preseason Player of the Year, leads NKU in scoring (16.9 ppg) and rebounding (8.5 rpg).
• G Lavone Holland II runs the show for the Norse. He averages 13.6 points, 4.9 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game.
• F Carson Williams is converting 62.9 percent of his field-goal attempts (110-of-175), a mark that ranks 13th in the country. He is averaging 13.4 ppg.
• G Tyler Sharpe is averaging 7.1 ppg and is shooting 48.8 percent in League play, while leading NKU – one of the nation’s highest-ranked teams in steals – with 13 thefts during that time.
• F Jordan Garnett keeps finding ways to contribute. After going 4-for-5 from three en route to 12 points at Green bay, he added six points and eight rebounds against Oakland.
• G Mason Faulkner chipped in 15 points and five assists against Oakland, while F Dantez Walton added 13 points and five boards.
• HC John Brannen, last year’s Horizon League Coach of the Year, has 48 wins as head coach (47 at NKU, one at Alabama) and need just two more for his 50th.
Last Time Out
Northern Kentucky dropped just the second home game of the season and fourth in the last two seasons with an 83-70 setback to Oakland Friday night. Kendrick Nunn scored the first nine points for the Golden Grizzlies, which never trailed, and NKU couldn’t overcome an early first-half hole. The Norse converted 42 percent from the floor, but just 24 percent from three. The Golden Grizzlies made 52 percent overall and 43 from deep.
McDonald posted his ninth double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Faulkner contributed 15 points and five assists, while Walton chipped in 13 points and five boards.
Scouting Detroit Mercy
Detroit Mercy has one of the more potent offenses (80.5 ppg), but allows a league-worst 87.3 points per game, which results in a 6-16 overall mark and 2-7 Horizon League record. Kameron Chatman leads the Titans in scoring at 18.2 ppg and 8.7 rpg. Corey Allen chips in 16 ppg. UDM has lost 14 of its last 16 games, including a current three-game skid.
Series Stuff
The Norse have won three games in a row in the series and hold a 4-1 all-time record against the Titans. Holland knocked down a 17-footer with just seconds remaining to lift NKU to a 56-54 win just three weeks ago. McDonald led all scorers with 16 points and just missed the double-double with nine caroms. Williams added 12 points and Holland finished with nine.
#TakeNotice
Bryan
Bryan McEldowney
Assistant Athletic Director
Communications and Media Services
Northern Kentucky University
