Sat., Nov. 17
National Urea Cycle Disorders Foundation Challenge
San Diego, Calif. – Jenny Craig Pavilion (5,100)
NKU (0-2) vs. Siena (1-2), 10:30 p.m. (EST)
NKU Radio/Internet: WQRT (1160 AM) & www.nkunorse.com
Series Record: First meeting
SAN DIEGO – Northern Kentucky University takes on Siena (N.Y.) at 10:30 p.m. Saturday in the National Urea Cycle Disorders Foundation Challenge, which is being hosted at the University of San Diego.
NKU concludes play in the season-opening tournament Sunday by meeting Cal State Northridge at 6:30 p.m. The live broadcast of both games can be heard on WQRT (1160 AM), with Richard Skinner calling the play-by-play and Steve Moeller providing the color commentary.
The Norse enter Saturday's game with an 0-2 record after losing to host San Diego (65-61 on Wednesday) and Tulsa (76-56 on Thursday). Siena is 1-2 going into Saturday's game after dropping a 68-64 decision to Cal State Northridge on Friday.
This will be the first meeting between NKU and Siena.
DIFFERENT LANDSCAPE: NKU has not started a season 0-3 since the 1981-82 campaign, when the then-Division II Norse dropped consecutive games to Hanover, Wittenberg and Cincinnati. The following season, NKU had to compete in the NAIA after budget cuts forced the athletics program to fall below the NCAA's six-sport minimum for men's sports.
NKU AGAINST D-1 OPPONENTS: Northern Kentucky is now 6-26 all-time against NCAA Division I opponents in regular-season games. The six wins were against Xavier (1978 and 1979), Eastern Kentucky (1982 and 1983), Evansville (1983) and Tennessee State (1984).
NKU'S LAST WIN AGAINST A D-1 IN THE REGULAR SEASON: On Jan. 14, 1984, NKU pulled out a 66-64 victory over Tennessee State in Regents Hall. That also marked the final time a Division I men's team visited Regents Hall.
TULSA RALLIES PAST NKU: Rashad Smith scored 18 of his 23 points in the second half as Tulsa rallied from an early 11-point deficit to post a 76-56 win over NKU on Thursday.
Tulsa shot 58.7 percent from the field and held NKU to just six field goals in the second half to coast to the victory in the first meeting between the two programs. The Norse scored the first nine points of the game and eventually built a 27-16 advantage, but Tulsa closed the first half with an 18-9 run to slice the deficit to 36-34 at the break.
NKU shot just 6-for-23 (.261) in the second half and watched Tulsa score at will in the paint (24-4 advantage inside). The Golden Hurricane opened the second half with a 15-3 run to take a 49-39 lead on a Smith layup with 13:21 remaining and controlled the remainder of the game.
Smith, a 6-foot-7 sophomore forward, was 6-for-8 from the field and 11-for-12 from the free-throw line. Scottie Haralson added 10 points for the Golden Hurricane.
TREYS NOT FALLING: NKU finished 4-for-23 from 3-point range against Tulsa, including 1-for-12 shooting in the second half. The Norse are 10-for-46 (.217) from 3-point range in their first two games. NKU finished No. 2 nationally in last season's NCAA Division II team statistics in 3-point shooting at 42.5 percent. The Norse were 13th nationally in 3-pointers made per game at 9.0.
NATE THE GREAT: NKU freshman guard
Nate Snodgrass scored a career-high 12 points against Tulsa. Snodgrass was the only Norse to score in double figures.
INSIDE FORCE: NKU sophomore post player
Jalen Billups is shooting 72.7 percent from the field after two games. Billups averages 8.5 points per contest.
IMPRESSIVE DEBUT: NKU freshman guard
Todd Johnson scored 11 points against San Diego in the season opener Wednesday night. The lightning-quick Johnson drained a trio of 3-pointers in that game.
ROAD WARRIORS: NKU will not play a home game until Jan. 5, when the Norse entertain South Carolina Upstate in The Bank of Kentucky Center. NKU plays its first 10 games away from home, including stops in thestates of California, Texas, Virginia and Maryland. The Norse also visit Ohio State on Dec. 1.
