NKU's Jon Van Hoose leads the nation in 3-pointers made per game.
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky University attempts to remain perfect at home this season when Lewis visits The Bank of Kentucky Center at 5 p.m. Saturday.
NKU is 14-2 overall, 6-2 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Norse are ranked No. 9 in the latest NCAA Division II national poll and own a 10-0 record at home this season.
Lewis has an 11-5 overall record entering Saturday, including a 3-5 mark in the GLVC.
THE SERIES: NKU holds a 37-16 lead in the all-time series against Lewis and have won the last four meetings. The Norse are 23-4 at home all-time against the Flyers.
Lewis' last win on the road against NKU occurred on March 4, 2008, in the first round of the GLVC Tournament. The Flyers posted an 80-76 victory over the Norse in Regents Hall that night.
GET THE LEAD: NKU is 14-0 this season when leading at halftime. In each of those 14 wins, NKU has owned a double-figure lead at the half. The Norse are 0-2 when trailing at halftime.
NO. 1 IN THE NATION: NKU senior guard
Jon Van Hoose is No. 1 nationally in 3-pointers made per game with an average of 3.9 per contest. Van Hoose has knocked down 63 treys in 16 games this season and averages a team-leading 13.9 points per contest.
As a team, NKU is No. 6 nationally with an average of 10 made 3-pointers per game. The Norse are No. 2 in the nation in 3-point shooting percentage at .432.
TORRID SHOOTING: NKU shot 59.3 percent from the floor Thursday night and coasted to an 87-60 win over visiting Wisconsin-Parkside.
Eshaunte Jones drained a trio of 3-pointers and finished with 15 points.
Chad Jackson was 7-for-8 from the field and added 14 points.
Jon Van Hoose also made three 3-pointers and scored 13 points. Van Hoose added five assists and three rebounds. Stretch Watson finished with 12 points, nine rebounds and three steals for NKU, which is 49-5 all-time in The Bank of Kentucky Center.
The Norse are 25-8 all-time against Wisconsin-Parkside, including a 15-1 mark at home.
NKU jumped out to a 14-4 lead and cruised into halftime with a 43-26 advantage. The Norse made 58.1 percent of their attempts from the field in the first half, including 5-for-12 shooting from 3-point range.
Jones and Jackson each netted 10 points in the first half, while Van Hoose and Watson added eight apiece.
In the second half, NKU continued its torrid shooting (60.7 percent) and led by as many as 31 points.
Ethan Faulkner added eight points and five assists, while
Alex McGlothin finished with seven points and nine rebounds. NKU dominated the boards and finished with a 37-25 advantage on the glass.
THE LAST TIME AGAINST LEWIS: On Jan. 4, 2011,
Josh Tabb scored 18 points and dished out six assists to lead NKU to a 65-48 win against Lewis in the Neil Carey Arena.
Malcolm Eleby added 11 points and four assists for NKU, which held Lewis to 22.2 percent shooting in the second half to pull away for the win.
Lewis jumped out to a 16-6 lead five minutes into the game, but NKU stormed back with a 19-8 run to take a 25-24 lead on Eleby's basket with 4:20 remaining in the first half.
With the score tied at 39-all in the second half, NKU used a 9-0 spurt to gain a 48-39 edge and controlled play the rest of the way.
Bobby Shannon scored a pair of baskets to ignite the Norse run.
David Bryant led Lewis with 13 points. The Flyers made five 3-pointers in the first half but were limited to just one trey after intermission.
