Northern Kentucky University Athletics

Box score | Video highlights / Interviews | Photo gallery

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – In its first visit to The Bank of Kentucky Center, William Jewell College became the answer to the following trivia question:

Which school did Northern Kentucky University defeat for its 700th all-time victory in men's basketball?

NKU reached the 700-win plateau with a tougher-than-expected 76-72 overtime victory against William Jewell on Thursday night. The 11th-ranked Norse improved to 11-0 overall, 3-0 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

But it wasn't easy. In fact, William Jewell (4-5 overall, 1-2 GLVC) nearly pulled off the huge upset in the first-ever meeting between the two programs, but Ethan Faulkner and Chad Jackson combined for eight points in the overtime to lift NKU.

Faulkner netted four points in overtime, including a pair of game-clinching free throws with 12.2 seconds left that extended the Norse advantage to 76-72. Faulkner – whose short jumper in the lane snapped a 70-all tie with less than a minute left - finished with 14 points for NKU, which is now 700-455 in 41 years of competition.

Jackson scored 19 points – four in overtime – and grabbed eight rebounds as NKU continued to close in on the best start in school history (13-0 in 2000-01). Eshaunte Jones and Stretch Watson each added 12 points for the Norse, who outscored William Jewell 13-9 in the overtime.

“We made some big plays in overtime, and I'm just happy we were able to pull it out,” NKU head coach Dave Bezold said. “I know it was the program's 700th win, so that makes it special. I'm just glad we were able to escape with a win because William Jewell played very well.”

NKU began as if it would blow out the visiting Cardinals, bolting to a 9-0 lead. NKU settled for a 33-23 lead at the break and eventually built a 14-point advantage early in the second half, but William Jewell battled back.

Craig Mattson hit a pair of free throws with 2:47 left to give William Jewell a 58-57 lead. Jackson countered with a pair of free throws to put NKU back on top, 59-58.

With 1:22 remaining, Jackson missed the front end of the bonus, but Tony Rack stole the ball after Mattson grabbed the rebound. While falling to the floor, Rack made a perfect pass to Jones, who converted a layup to give the Norse a 61-58 edge.

“That was a huge play by Tony Rack, the steal and pass to Jones for a basket,” Bezold said.

The teams traded free throws and NKU still owned a 63-60 lead late in the game. Mattson, however, buried a 3-pointer with 17.3 seconds left to tie the contest at 63-all. NKU had a final chance to win in regulation, but Jones missed a 22-foot jumper at the buzzer.

NKU shot 49.1 percent from the field, but the Norse were just 6-for-15 from 3-point range. NKU entered Thursday averaging a GLVC-leading 10.7 treys per game.

Devonte Bell scored 19 points to lead William Jewell. The Cardinals made 48 percent of their shots from the field to give NKU its toughest battle of the season. The Norse entered Thursday No. 1 nationally in scoring margin at +30.4 per game.

NKU plays host to Rockhurst at 3 p.m. Saturday.