NKU will try to snap a two-game losing streak Thursday night.
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky University hits the road for a pair of key Great Lakes Valley Conference games this week, beginning with a Thursday night contest at Lewis.
NKU is 15-4 overall, 7-4 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Norse are ranked No. 15 in the NCAA Division II national poll but have lost two straight games.
Lewis is 13-6 overall, 5-6 in the GLVC. NKU concludes the road trip Saturday with a game at Wisconsin-Parkside (8-11, 1-10 GLVC).
THE NKU/LEWIS SERIES: NKU is 38-16 all-time against Lewis, including a 13-12 record in the Neil Carey Arena. The Norse have beaten the Flyers five straight times and won 12 of the past 13 meetings.
NKU is unbeaten (6-0) in its last six trips to Romeoville, Ill. Norse head coach
Dave Bezold is 6-0 all-time in the Neil Carey Arena. Lewis has not beaten NKU in Romeoville, Ill., since Dec. 4, 2003, an 82-69 victory.
LOST LEAD: NKU was 15-0 when leading at halftime going into Saturday, but No. 8 Southern Indiana rallied from a 15-point deficit at the break and stunned the Norse, 69-68, in Evansville, Ind.
NKU owned a 65-53 advantage with 3:43 remaining, but Southern Indiana used a game-ending 16-3 run to pull out the win.
NKU is now 15-1 when ahead at halftime, 0-3 when trailing at the break. The Norse are 53-129 all-time against nationally ranked opponents, including 0-3 this season.
INSIDE STRENGTH: NKU's
Jalen Billups came off the bench and scored 10 points against Southern Indiana. The powerful freshman forward netted eight points in the opening half with two offensive rebounds and a blocked shot.
STILL NO. 1: Norse senior guard
Jon Van Hoose remains No. 1 nationally in 3-pointers made per game at 3.8. Van Hoose has 72 treys this season and averages 13.4 points per contest. The NKU single-season record for 3-pointers made is 114, set by Craig Sanders during the 2000-01 campaign.
As a team, NKU leads the GLVC in 3-pointers made per game at 9.84.
ON THE ROAD: NKU is 4-3 on the road this season, including 3-3 in the GLVC. The Norse have lost their last three road games (at Drury, at Bellarmine and at Southern Indiana).
ALL-AROUND EFFORT: NKU's
Chad Jackson scored 15 points, grabbed nine rebounds and dished out four assists against Southern Indiana. Jackson was 5-for-6 from the field and also added two steals. He averages 10.4 points per game and leads NKU in steals with 35.
THE LAST TIME AGAINST LEWIS: Earlier this season on Jan. 21,
DeAndre Nealy scored 17 points and blocked seven shots, including three rejections during the final three minutes, to lead NKU to a 77-66 win at Highland Heights, Ky. After Lewis rallied from a 61-44 deficit to pull within four points (68-64), Nealy also scored three key baskets in the final minutes as the Norse fought off the late comeback by Lewis.
The Norse were 15-for-29 from 3-point range and shot 55.1 percent from the field to win that game.
Jon Van Hoose drained four treys against Lewis.
Tony Rack and
Eshaunte Jones also buried four 3-pointers apiece, while
Ethan Faulkner made a pair of treys.
Justin Jarosz led Lewis with 16 points, while Chris McClellan hit four 3-pointers and scored 14.
