Game program (PDF)
Sat., Jan. 5
Highland Heights, Ky.
The Bank of Kentucky Center (9,400)
USC Upstate (6-7, 0-0 A-Sun) at Northern Kentucky (3-7, 1-1), 7 p.m.
NKU Radio: WQRT 1160 AM
•Jim Kelch (play-by-play) & Steve Moeller (color)
Series Record: First meeting
NORSE NOTES (FIVE STARTERS & ONE)
1• NKU plays at home for the first time this season after playing a school-record 10 consecutive games on the road in its inaugural Division I campaign.
2• This will mark the first Division I home game for the Norse, who own a 53-7 all-time record in The Bank of Kentucky Center.
3• NKU posted a 65-52 win at North Florida on Wednesday night for its first-ever Atlantic Sun Conference victory.
Chad Jackson (21 points) and
Eshaunte Jones (19) combined for 40 points in that road triumph.
4• The Norse held North Florida to just 32.7 percent shooting from the field. North Florida went the final 7:29 of the game without a field goal as NKU closed with a 16-2 run after trailing 50-49 with 6:12 remaining.
5• NKU is meeting South Carolina Upstate for the first time.
+1• NKU has won 30 consecutive home openers. The Norse have not dropped a home opener since Nov. 27, 1981, when Hanover pulled out a 68-64 victory over NKU in Regents Hall.
IN THE BANK: NKU is 53-7 all-time in The Bank of Kentucky Center. Three of those seven losses were to Bellarmine. The others setbacks were to Quincy, UW-Parkside, Kentucky Wesleyan and Southern Indiana. All seven defeats have been to members of the Division II Great Lakes Valley Conference, which NKU competed in from 1985-2012.
A year ago, the Norse were 14-2 in The Bank of Kentucky Center. Bellarmine and Kentucky Wesleyan were the only visiting teams to leave NKU with a victory last season.
FOR OPENERS: NKU is 38-3 all-time in home openers. The Norse have won 30 consecutive home openers going into Saturday's game with USC Upstate. NKU has not dropped a home opener since Nov. 27, 1981, when Hanover pulled out a 68-64 victory over NKU in Regents Hall. NKU's only other home-opening setbacks were to UT-Chattanooga (84-80) in 1972 and Georgetown (Ky.) (97-90) in 1974.
THE BIG E: Senior point guard
Ethan Faulkner ignited the Norse's late spurt in the win at North Florida by scoring seven points in the final three minutes, including a clutch 3-pointer that extended NKU's lead to 56-50. Faulkner finished with a season-high 12 points.
TO THE RIM: Chad Jackson led NKU with 21 points at North Florida and just missed tying his career-high point total of 22, which he set last season against Urbana. The junior guard finished 9-for-17 from the field against the Ospreys, doing most of his scoring on drives to the basket.
A FROSH START: NKU freshman guard
Tyler White added seven points and a career-high four rebounds against North Florida in his first collegiate start. He also added two steals and a pair of assists.
THEY LIKE WARM WEATHER: NKU is now 10-4 all-time in games played in the state of Florida after splitting the A-Sun road trip last week. The Norse visit Florida again later this month with games at Florida Gulf Coast and Stetson.
BEZOLD IN JANUARY: NKU head coach
Dave Bezold owns a 49-24 record in the month of January during his career. Now in his ninth season as the Norse head coach, Bezold enters the USC Upstate game with a career record of 164-86 at NKU.
BACK TO FORM: NKU senior guard
Eshaunte Jones poured in 19 points to key the win at North Florida. Jones also tied his career high by grabbing nine rebounds in that victory. He leads NKU in scoring at 13.0 points per game, and he also tops the team in 3-pointers made with 23.
DEFENSE WINS: NKU is No. 2 in the A-Sun in scoring defense (61.4 ppg) and No. 3 in field-goal percentage defense (.429). The Norse are also No. 3 in defending the 3-point shot, holding opponents to 30.9 percent shooting from behind the arc.
ABOUT THE SPARTANS: USC Upstate enters Saturday's game at NKU with a 6-7 overall record. The Spartans open their A-Sun schedule against NKU.
USC Upstate features A-Sun Player of the Year Torrey Craig, who averages 18.2 points per game. The 6-foot-6 Craig enters the NKU game with 1,227 career points.
ETSU NEXT: NKU plays host to East Tennessee State at 7:30 p.m. Monday in The Bank of Kentucky Center. It will mark the first-ever meeting between NKU and East Tennessee State.
Since the 2008-09 season, East Tennessee State owns the most A-Sun wins with 53, just ahead of Jacksonville's 50 victories. The Buccaneers are tied with Mercer for most conference wins since the 2010-11 season with 26.
NKU wraps up its three-game A-Sun homestand next Friday night with a showdown against Lipscomb. That game is set for 7 p.m.
