NKU's DeAndre Nealy (15) has 57 blocked shots this season.
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – A rugged test awaits No. 16 Northern Kentucky University on Thursday night as No. 22 Indianapolis visits The Bank of Kentucky Center at 7:30 p.m.
NKU is 17-4 overall, 9-4 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Indianapolis is 16-5 overall, 9-4 in the GLVC. The Norse and Greyhounds are among five GLVC schools in this week's Division II national poll, joining No. 1 Bellarmine, No. 7 Kentucky Wesleyan and No. 14 Southern Indiana.
AGAINST NATIONALLY RANKED TEAMS: NKU is 53-129 all-time against nationally ranked opponents, including 0-3 this season (losses to Bellarmine, Kentucky Wesleyan and Southern Indiana).
THE SERIES: NKU is 36-29 all-time against Indianapolis. The Norse posted an 80-63 win over the Greyhounds earlier this season in Nicoson Hall. Indianapolis is 0-3 all-time in The Bank of Kentucky Center and has not won in Highland Heights, Ky., since Feb. 12, 2005, when the Greyhounds pulled out an 87-74 decision over NKU in Regents Hall.
ON TARGET: NKU shot 58.5 percent from the field during a 77-65 win at Wisconsin-Parkside on Saturday.
Ethan Faulkner scored 15 points and dished out seven assists to lead the Norse.
Jalen Billups added 14 points and eight rebounds. Faulkner and Billups each shot 6-for-8 from the field, while teammate
Chad Jackson finished with 13 points on 6-for-9 shooting.
Billups is shooting 11-for-14 (78.6 percent) from the field in his last two games. He averages 5.8 points per game and is shooting 64.1 percent for the season.
DON'T GO INSIDE: NKU's
DeAndre Nealy collected three blocked shots against Wisconsin-Parkside and upped his season total to 57 rejections. The all-time NKU single-season record for blocked shots is 73, set by Patrick Holt during the 1985-86 campaign.
THE LAST TIME AGAINST INDIANAPOLIS: Earlier this season on Dec. 3, NKU placed four players in double figures and rolled to an 80-63 win over Indianapolis in Nicoson Hall.
Tony Rack buried five shots from 3-point range and finished with 19 points.
NKU was 7-for-14 from 3-point range in the first half and owned a 39-29 lead at the break. Stretch Watson scored 12 of his 14 points in the first half. The 6-foot-7 junior also grabbed seven rebounds and blocked three shots.
Jon Van Hoose added 15 points, while
Ethan Faulkner scored 12 points and dished out eight assists.
NKU made 24-of-30 free throws, while Indianapolis missed its first 10 free throws and finished just 2-for-14 from the line.
Adrian Moss led Indianapolis with 17 points and seven assists.
1971-72 TEAM HONORED: A special tribute will be paid to the members of NKU's first varsity team Thursday night at halftime of the men's game against Indianapolis.
NKU will recognize the 1971-72 men's basketball squad, which was the first varsity team in school history. On Nov. 12, 1971, then-Northern Kentucky State College tipped off competition in a high school gym. Inside Newport High School's 'Cats Den, Northern Kentucky State met Calvary College, and the Norsemen, coached by Mote Hils, posted a 109-65 win in their inaugural game.
Earlier this season on Nov. 12, 40 years to the exact day of that first win over Calvary, NKU met UC-Clermont and posted a 106-58 victory in The Bank of Kentucky Center. In 40 years, the basketball program went from no home floor to a 9,400-seat facility that is considered one of the best in the nation.
The 1971-72 NKSC team members laid the foundation for what has become a program of national prominence. NKU owns three national championships and numerous regional titles. The athletics program will reclassify to Division I next season and join
