Game NotesHIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - Following a two-game homestand, the Northern Kentucky men's basketball team hits the road for a pair of games in Washington and Idaho. The Norse will face Eastern Washington to kick off the trip on Wednesday, Nov. 26, with tip-off scheduled for 9:05 p.m. (ET).
Northern Kentucky University Norse (2-2 Overall, 0-0 Atlantic Sun)
Eastern Washington University Eagles (3-1 Overall, 0-0 Big Sky)
Wed., Nov. 26 - 9:05 p.m. (ET)/6:05 (PT)
Reese Court (5,000) in Cheney, Wash.
TV: Big Sky TV (www.WatchBigSky.com) with Larry Weir (play-by-play)
Radio: FOX Sports 1360 (AM) with Jim Kelch (play-by-play) and Steve Moeller (analysis)
Fastbreak Points
- After falling to nationally-ranked teams in its first two games, NKU has rebounded with consecutive wins over NC A&T and OMW.
- NKU has not trailed in its last 80 minutes of action, leading for all but 2:15 against NC A&T (tied) and the whole game versus OMW.
- NKU went 14-of-31 from three-point land in its win over OMW and has now made a total of 31 trifectas in its last three games.
- Northern Kentucky is 31-for-73 in its last three games from beyond the arc, good for 42.5 percent
- Northern Kentucky and Eastern Washington have never met up on the hardwood.
- For the first time as a DI program, NKU sits at .500 overall. A win over Eastern Washington would give NKU its first winning DI record.
- All 15 players on NKU's roster scored and recorded at least one field in the Norse's 98-48 blowout of OMW.
- Despite knocking down 14 treys against OMW, NKU also held a 42-8 advantage in points in the paint.
- Four different players have led NKU in scoring through the first four games, Daniel Camps, Tayler Persons, Cole Murray and Tyler White.
- The Norse were picked to finish 5th in the A-Sun this season by both the coaches & media, NKU's highest A-Sun preseason rank to date.
- For the first time since reclassifying to DI prior to the 2012-13 season, NKU is eligible to participate in the A-Sun Conference Tournament.
Murray From Three
Sophomore guard Cole Murray found his stride from deep against North Carolina A&T. He entered that contest 2-for-5 (40 percent) on the season, but went off for a career-high seven trifectas. What is most impressive is that it only took 11 attempts to reach the seven baskets. One of Murray's attempts was rushed to beat the shot clock. Murray's 21 points in the game is also a career high for the Delphi, Indiana, native. He followed with a 3-for-5 showing against Ohio Mid-Western and is now 12-of-21 (57.1 percent) from three-point territory this year. His 9.0 points per game average leads the team.
Scouting Eastern Washington
Eastern Washington won each of its first three games of the year by at least 23 points, with all three wins coming at home. The Eagles dropped fell, 77-68, against an SMU team that was ranked No. 22 in the AP Top 25 at the time. EWU stayed on the road and took down Indiana, 88-86, to improve to 4-1 on the year. Three Eagles are averaging double-digits, led by Tyler Harvey's 19.8 points per game. Venky Jois (16.2) and Parker Kelly (11.0) also average double figures. As a team, EWU is not shy of hoisting up the three-point shots. Eastern Washington ranks ninth nationally in three-pointers attempted at 114.Â
Bombs Away
Wednesday's matchup between Northern Kentucky and Eastern Washington figures to feature a lot of three-point field-goal attempts. EWU ranks t-9th nationally with 114 long-range attempts on the season. The Norse have launched 89 threes so far, a total that would be t-58th if NKU was included in the national rankings. The NCAA does not yet include NKU in the rankings, since the Norse are in their probationary period of reclassification.
Tyler Harvey's 22-made trifectas lead the nation, while Cole Murray's 12 treys would rank t-36th.
Last Time Out: OMW
All 15 Norse saw playing time, scored and recorded at least one field goal in Northern Kentucky's, 98-48, home drubbing of Ohio Mid-Western. NKU scored the first 17 points of the game and never looked back. Fourteen players saw at least 10 minutes of playing time, with no one playing more than 18 minutes. Junior guard Tyler White dropped in a game-high-tying 14 points, while sophomore forward Daniel Camps chipped in eight points and 11 rebounds. Freshman guard Tayler Persons made his presence felt all over the court, registering six points, seven rebounds and nine assists.
