Mon., Jan. 6 - Highland Heights, Ky. - 7 p.m.
The Bank of Kentucky Center (9,400)
North Florida (9-7, 3-0 A-Sun) at Northern Kentucky (6-9, 2-1 A-Sun)
NKU Radio: WQRT 1160 AM
•Jim Kelch (play-by-play) & Steve Moeller (color)
Series Record: NKU leads, 2-0
Last Meeting: NKU 72, UNF 45 (2-28-13)
NKU MEETS NORTH FLORIDA ON MONDAY NIGHT
Norse (6-9, 2-1 A-Sun) seek third straight victory
NORSE NOTES (FIVE STARTERS & ONE)
1• NKU is 6-9 overall after rallying for a 73-66 win against Jacksonville on Saturday. The Norse are 2-1 in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
2• The Norse trailed by eight points (61-53) with less than nine minutes remaining but closed the game with a 20-5 run to pull out the win.
3•
Jordan Jackson scored a career-high 28 points to lead NKU, including 15 points during the first half.
4• The Norse are now 62-13 all-time in The Bank of Kentucky Center, including 4-2 this season.
5• NKU's
Jalen Billups grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds against Jacksonville.
+1• NKU is 2-0 all-time against North Florida.
NORSE MEET OSPREYS: Northern Kentucky plays host to North Florida at 7 p.m. Monday. The Norse are 6-9 overall, 2-1 in Atlantic Sun Conference play. North Florida is unbeaten (3-0) in the Atlantic Sun Conference and 9-7 overall.
NKU is 2-0 against North Florida, having swept the Ospreys last season.
JOHNSON IN THE CLUTCH: Todd Johnson is known for directing NKU's offense and setting up others for good shots. On Saturday night in the final minute of the game, the sophomore point guard drained the biggest 3-pointer of his college career with the shot clock winding down against Jacksonville and his team holding a 66-65 lead.
Johnson took a pass from
Tyler White and launched a 25-footer that swished with just 32 seconds remaining to extend the Norse lead to 69-65. NKU added four free throws in the closing seconds to secure a 73-66 victory against Jacksonville in front of a crowd of 1,507 in The Bank of Kentucky Center. Johnson finished with 11 points. He averages 7.7 points per contest.
AIR JORDAN: NKU junior guard
Jordan Jackson poured in a career-high 28 points to lead the offense against Jacksonville. Jackson's previous career-best point total was 24 against Purdue in the Norse's opener. Jackson leads NKU in scoring at 14.5 points per game and has reached double figures 10 times.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE TROUBLE: NKU sophomore
Jalen Billups collected his second double-double of the season with 10 points and a career-high 12 rebounds against Jacksonville. He leads NKU in rebounding (4.9) and field-goal percentage (.577).
ON A ROLL AT HOME: NKU has run off four consecutive home wins after dropping its first two games in The Bank of Kentucky Center this season. All four of those home wins have been come-from-behind victories, three of which NKU trailed by double figures. The Norse rallied from eight points down in the second half Saturday night to defeat Jacksonville.
THE LAST TIME AGAINST NORTH FLORIDA: On Feb. 28, 2013,
Eshaunte Jones scored a career-high 30 points to lead NKU to a 72-45 win over North Florida in The Bank of Kentucky Center. Jones finished 10-for-15 from the field, including six 3-pointers. His final basket of the night, a short jumper from the left block, also gave him 1,000 career points.
NKU blew the game open in the second half with a 16-2 run that turned a 39-28 lead into a 55-30 advantage. Jones scored eight points during the spurt, including a pair of long treys.
Tyler White added 12 points for the Norse, while
Ethan Faulkner scored eight points and dished out four assists.
Chad Jackson finished with eight points and six rebounds as NKU swept the season series with North Florida.
USC UPSTATE NEXT: NKU travels to Spartanburg, S.C., to meet South Carolina Upstate on Thursday night at 7 p.m. The Norse conclude the two-game road trip Saturday with a 4 p.m. contest at East Tennessee State in Johnson City, Tenn.
MONDAY'S PROMOTION: NKU will hold Big Brothers/Big Sisters Night on Monday.
