Northern Kentucky University Athletics

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HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – This one was over in a hurry.

Northern Kentucky University ran out to a 40-3 lead Friday night and rolled to a 100-57 win over Lane (Tenn.) in the John L. Griffin/Lions Club Classic. The Norse (2-0) completely dominated from start to finish and reached the 100-point plateau for the second straight game.

Jon Van Hoose scored 19 points to lead NKU. The senior guard was 5-for-8 from 3-point range in 22 minutes of action. DeAndre Nealy (left) added all 16 of his points in the first half for the Norse, who held Lane (0-1) to 20 percent shooting from the field in the first half.

Lane started the game 1-for-23 from the field as NKU bolted out to a 40-3 lead with 6:38 left in the half. The Dragons went more than 12 minutes between their first and second field goals in the first half.

By the time Lane made its second field goal, a jumper by Tony Payne with 5:22 left on the clock, NKU owned a 42-7 lead. The Norse took a 48-20 advantage into the locker room and cruised in the second half.

“We shared the basketball and had some really good looks, and when we do that, we're going to shoot a high percentage,” NKU head coach Dave Bezold said of his team's 57.4 percent shooting from the field.

Chad Jackson dished out seven assists and grabbed eight rebounds for the Norse, who finished with 26 assists as a team. NKU was 11-for-21 from 3-point range and led the entire way.

Jalen Billups scored 16 points for NKU, while Eshaunte Jones added 10. Billups netted six points in the first four minutes as the Norse grabbed a 12-2 lead.

“Coach told us to pound it inside, and we did what we had to do,” said Billups, a 6-foot-6, 225-pound freshman post player from Cincinnati.

Paul Byrd scored nine points for NKU, and the freshman's 3-pointer late in the game put the Norse at the century mark. It marked the first time in history NKU began the season with back-to-back games of 100 points or more.

NKU began the season last Saturday by posting a 106-58 win over UC-Clermont.

Byrd, Ethan Faulkner and Ryan Fleming all finished with four assists. Stretch Watson (pictured above dunking) added seven points and seven rebounds, while Tony Rack scored six points and dished out three assists.

NKU plays host to Glenville State at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the final game of the John L. Griffin/Lions Club Classic. Glenville State (1-1) posted an 82-63 win over UC-Clermont (3-5) on Friday in another first-round game.

Christian Brothers (3-0) defeated Shaw (N.C.), 70-53, in the other game of the two-day event. Shaw is now 1-1.

This year's event is a round-robin classic, featuring six teams with predetermined opponents.