DeAndre Nealy (right) is greeted after blocking eight shots at Urbana.
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URBANA, Ohio -
DeAndre Nealy threw a block party Monday night, while
Chad Jackson did a little bit of everything during Northern Kentucky University's 95-74 win at Urbana.
Nealy scored 18 points and tied a school record by blocking eight shots to lead unbeaten NKU (4-0) to its fourth straight win. The 6-foot-6 senior added nine rebounds while tying NKU's single-game blocked shots record, which is also shared by Patrick Holt, Gary Woeste and Leslie Malone.
Jackson finished with a career-high 19 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and four steals. The sophomore guard scored on a variety of drives into the lane, and he consistently set up teammates for inside baskets with pinpoint passing.
“Nealy and Jackson were outstanding in many different ways,” NKU head coach
Dave Bezold said. “DeAndre was a force defensively, and Urbana's players were aware of him every time they drove into the lane. He blocked eight shots and probably made them alter another six or seven attempts.
“Chad did everything, from setting up his teammates to rebounding to scoring. He keyed that first-half spurt with some great passes and baskets. Just look at the statistics, and you see DeAndre and Chad just missed triple-doubles in the same game. I don't remember the last time we had a triple-double.”
Craig Conley owns the only triple-double in Norse history, having accomplished that feat against Lewis on Feb. 3, 2001, with 24 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists.
Stretch Watson finished with a career-high 18 points for the Norse, who shot 58.9 percent from the field.
Eshaunte Jones scored 13 points for NKU, which is 6-0 all-time against Urbana (2-2).
The NKU bench produced 54 points and 16 rebounds on Monday night. Watson's fast-break dunk off a Jackson assist gave NKU a 39-33 lead with 4:49 left in the first half. Jackson's tip-in later extended the Norse advantage to 41-33.
Jones netted all 13 of his points during the first half off the bench, and he made three free throws with 2.2 seconds left to give the Norse a 50-39 lead at the break. Jackson added 10 points and five assists in the first half, while Watson scored nine before the break.
“We had very good balance, and the bench was outstanding,” Bezold said.
NKU blistered the nets in the second half for 68.2 percent shooting from the field and led by as many as 23 points.
NKU senior guard
Tony Rack finished with 10 points, while teammate
Ethan Faulkner added nine points and five rebounds. The Norse held Urbana to 41.9 percent shooting from the field, but the Blue Knights finished with a 38-31 edge on the boards.
The Norse begin Great Lakes Valley Conference play Dec. 1 with a road game at Saint Joseph's. The Norse conclude the trip Dec. 3 with a game at Indianapolis.
NOTE: Exactly 25 years ago to the day, on Nov. 21, 1986, Patrick Holt blocked eight shots during an 88-74 win against Northeastern Illinois in Regents Hall.
