NKU's Tony Rack (10) has helped the Norse start the season 4-0.
Thurs., Dec. 1
Rensselaer, Ind. - Richard F. Scharf Fieldhouse (2,500)
NKU (4-0) at Saint Joseph's (3-1), 8:30 p.m.
NKU Radio/Internet: WQRT (1160 AM) & www.nkunorse.com
Series Record: NKU leads, 38-20
Last Meeting: NKU 68, SJC 59 (1-27-11)
Sat., Dec. 3
Indianapolis, Ind. – Nicoson Hall (4,000)
NKU at Indianapolis (4-1), 7:45 p.m.
NKU Radio/Internet: WQRT (1160 AM) & www.nkunorse.com
Series Record: NKU leads, 35-29
Last Meeting: UI 81, NKU 76 (2-17-11)
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky University begins Great Lakes Valley Conference play Thursday night with a road game at Saint Joseph's in Rensselaer, Ind. The opening tip is scheduled for 8:30 p.m.
The Norse conclude the two-game road trip Saturday night by meeting Indianapolis in Nicoson Hall. NKU is 4-0 going into Thursday's GLVC opener, while Saint Joseph's is 3-1.
NKU owns a 38-20 lead in the all-time series against Saint Joseph's. The Norse are 35-29 all-time against Indianapolis.
IN SCHARF FIELDHOUSE: NKU is 17-12 all-time against Saint Joseph's in Scharf Fieldhouse. The Norse posted a 66-60 win over the Pumas in their last visit to Rensselaer, Ind., two years ago in the second round of the GLVC Tournament.
IN NICOSON HALL: NKU is 12-19 all-time against Indianapolis in Nicoson Hall, but the Greyhounds have won the past two games against the visiting Norse. A year ago, Indianapolis posted an 81-76 win over NKU in Nicoson Hall. Two years ago in Nicoson Hall, the Greyhounds rallied for a 55-54 victory against the Norse.
BLOCK PARTY: DeAndre Nealy tied an NKU single-game record by blocking eight shots during a 95-74 win at Urbana on Nov. 21.
Nealy also scored 18 points and added nine rebounds while tying NKU's single-game blocked shots record, which is shared by Patrick Holt, Gary Woeste and Leslie Malone.
WOW!: Exactly 25 years ago to the day, on Nov. 21, 1986, Patrick Holt had blocked eight shots during an 88-74 win against Northeastern Illinois in Regents Hall.
MR. VERSATILE: Chad Jackson finished with a career-high 19 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and four steals in the win at Urbana. The sophomore guard scored on a variety of drives into the lane, and he consistently set up teammates for inside baskets with pinpoint passing.
Jackson and Nealy both just missed triple-double performances against Urbana. 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.
LOWDOWN ON NKU: The Norse average 96.0 points per game and allow 62.2 points. NKU is shooting 56.0 percent from the field and holding opponents to just 35.0 percent from the floor.
NKU owns a +9.6 rebounding margin (41.8 to 32.2) and has 81 assists compared to just 53 turnovers.
THE LAST TIME AGAINST SAINT JOSEPH'S: On Jan. 27, 2011,
Malcolm Eleby scored 19 and dished out five assists to lead NKU to a 68-59 win over Saint Joseph's in The Bank of Kentucky Center.
Chris Knight added all 15 of his points in the first half for NKU, which built a 30-15 lead with five minutes remaining before intermission. Saint Joseph's, however, closed the half with a 7-0 run to cut the NKU lead to 30-22 at the break.
Saint Joseph's trailed by just three points (50-47) with 5:24 left in the game. Eleby then converted a layup to extend NKU's lead to 52-47, and the Norse later extended their advantage to as many as 12 points.
Josh Tabb finished with 14 points and three assists as the Norse held Saint Joseph's to just 36 percent shooting from the field. NKU was 1-for-13 from 3-point range, compared to the 9-for-23 shooting by Saint Joseph's behind the arc.
THE LAST TIME AGAINST INDIANAPOLIS: On Feb. 17, 2011, Darius Adams poured in 24 of his 36 points in the second half as Indianapolis rallied from a 13-point deficit to upset then-No. 21 NKU, 81-76, in Nicoson Hall. Leland Brown netted 12 of his 14 points in the second half for the Greyhounds, who shot 66.7 percent from the field after the break to pull off the upset.
NKU owned a 61-48 lead with 10:39 remaining in the game, but Indianapolis used a 19-5 run during the next five minutes to take a 67-66 advantage. DeWann Squires capped the spurt by draining a 3-pointer from the corner while being fouled, and he then hit the free throw to give the Greyhounds a 67-66 lead.
