Thurs., Jan. 26
Highland Heights, Ky. – The Bank of Kentucky Center (9,400)
#7 Kentucky Wesleyan (15-2, 7-2 GLVC) at #9 NKU (15-2, 7-2), 7:30 p.m.
NKU Radio/Internet: WQRT (1160 AM) & www.nkunorse.com
Series Record: KWC leads, 45-33
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky University plays host to Kentucky Wesleyan in a battle of nationally ranked teams Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
NKU is 15-2 overall, 7-2 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Norse are ranked No. 9 in the latest NCAA Division II national poll and own an 11-0 record at home this season.
Kentucky Wesleyan is also 15-2 overall, 7-2 in the GLVC. The Panthers, who were ranked No. 1 in the nation last week, are No. 7 in the NCAA Division II poll after suffering a pair of losses.
THE SERIES: Kentucky Wesleyan owns a 45-33 lead in the all-time series against NKU. The Norse are 22-12 at home all-time against the Panthers.
GET THE LEAD: NKU is 15-0 this season when leading at halftime. The Norse are 0-2 when trailing at the break.
IN THE BANK: NKU is now 50-5 all-time in The Bank of Kentucky Center, with all five losses coming against GLVC opponents. Bellarmine (twice), Southern Indiana, Quincy and Wisconsin-Parkside have defeated NKU in the 9,400-seat arena, which opened in 2008.
AGAINST NATIONALLY RANKED TEAMS: NKU is 0-1 this season in its only game against a team in the national poll, that being a 64-60 setback at then-No. 3 Bellarmine. The Norse are 53-127 all-time against nationally ranked opponents.
FLYER SWATTER: NKU senior center
DeAndre Nealy (No. 15 in photo on left) blocked seven shots against Lewis, including three rejections in the final three minutes to help the Norse hold on for a 77-66 win. Nealy also scored 17 points and grabbed six rebounds in that victory over the Flyers.
Nealy is No. 2 in the GLVC at 2.76 blocks per game. He has a total of 47 rejections this season. The NKU single-season record for blocked shots is 73, set by Patrick Holt during the 1985-86 campaign.
RACK IT UP: NKU senior guard
Tony Rack dished out a career-high six assists in the win over Lewis. Rack also scored 12 points and grabbed six rebounds.
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 3.94 per contest. Van Hoose has knocked down 67 treys in 17 games this season and averages a team-leading 13.9 points per contest.
TREY-RIFFIC: NKU buried a season-high 15 shots from 3-point range in the win over Lewis. The single-game school record for most 3-pointers made is 19, set against Indiana-East on Dec. 19, 2007. NKU leads the GLVC in 3-pointers made with an average of 10.29 treys per game.
TOUGH ASSIGNMENT: Kentucky Wesleyan All-America candidate Anthony Young (34 pictured on the right) averaged 24.5 points and 7.8 rebounds against NKU last season in four games. He netted 36 points against the Norse in the GLVC Tournament as Kentucky Wesleyan posted a 91-89 overtime win.
THE LAST TIME AGAINST KENTUCKY WESLEYAN: On March 12, 2011, in the first round of the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional,
Tony Rack's 3-pointer as time expired gave NKU a 76-74 overtime victory against Kentucky Wesleyan in Louisville, Ky.
Trailing 74-73 with 8.3 seconds remaining, NKU called a timeout at midcourt. The Norse put the ball in the hands
Malcolm Eleby, who drove into the lane and found Rack open on the right wing. Rack buried the 3-pointer as the buzzer sounded.
Eleby and
Josh Tabb both finished with 23 points and eight rebounds for NKU, which defeated the Panthers three times in four meetings last season.
USI NEXT: On Saturday, NKU travels to Evansville, Ind., to meet No. 8 Southern Indiana in the PAC Arena. The Screaming Eagles are 15-2 overall and play at No. 1 Bellarmine on Thursday.
PAC ARENA JINX: NKU has not won a regular-season game in the PAC Arena since Dec. 10, 1994, when the Norse rallied for a 96-90 victory over then-No. 1 Southern Indiana. Since then, NKU has dropped 12 consecutive regular-season games in the PAC Arena to Southern Indiana.
NKU's last win against Southern Indiana in the PAC Arena came during the 1996 NCAA Division II Tournament, a 99-87 victory in the Great Lakes Region Tournament championship game.
Southern Indiana is 47-18 all-time against NKU, including 25-3 in the PAC Arena.
BLACK OUT THE BANK: It will be Black Out The Bank Night this Thursday when NKU plays host to Kentucky Wesleyan in The Bank of Kentucky Center.
The women's game begins at 5:30 p.m., followed by the men at 7:30 p.m. NKU encourages all fans to wear black to the doubleheader. The first 500 NKU students in attendance will receive a free Black Out T-shirt. (Doors open at 4:30 p.m.).
The world-famous Zooperstars will also make a return trip to The Bank of Kentucky Center and perform at halftime of both the men's and women's games. In addition, it is $1 Night as selected menu items will be available for just $1 as well as Student Meal Night. Norse Force double points will also be awarded for attending the games.
For more information, call 572-5962.
DIVISION II NATIONAL POLL
1. Bellarmine
2. West Liberty
3. Metropolitan State
4. Tarleton State
5. Lincoln Memorial
6. Winona State
7. Kentucky Wesleyan
8. Southern Indiana
9. Northern Kentucky
10. Midwestern State
11. Colo. School of Mines
12. Alabama-Huntsville
13. St. Cloud State
14. Missouri Southern
15. Christian Brothers
16. Indiana (Pa.)
17. Shaw
18. Western Washington
19. Bowie State
20. Hillsdale
21. Indianapolis
22. West Georgia
23. Fort Hays State
24. South Carolina Aiken
25. Alaska-Anchorage
