Game NotesHIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky men's basketball team will play its third game in six days when it takes on Morehead State on the road Friday night. Fresh off of a 30-point effort against Chattanooga,
Tayler Persons leads a Norse squad seeking its second win in the midst of a stretch of four games in nine days. Tip-off for the game is scheduled for 7 p.m., in Morehead, Ky.
Northern Kentucky University Norse (4-6 Overall, 0-0 Atlantic Sun)
Morehead State University Eagles (4-9 Overall, 0-0 OVC)
Friday., Dec. 19 - 7:00 p.m. (ET)
Johnson Arena (6,500) in Morehead, Ky.
TV: OVC Digital Network
Radio: ESPN 1530 (AM) with Jim Kelch (play-by-play) and Steve Moeller (analysis)
Fast Break Points
- Northern Kentucky fell to Chattanooga, 93-81, despite 30 points from Tayler Persons and 16 from Jalen Billups.Â
- The 93 points allowed ties for the second-most in the DI era. Jacksonville and Kentucky scored 95 & 93, respectively, last season.
- Led by Persons' 14-of-14 effort at the line, NKU shot a season-best 88.9 percent (24-of-27) from the charity stripe at UTC
- In the last two games, NKU's bench has outscored its opponents, 126-43. The Norse also hold 70-38 advantage in points in the paint.
- Northern Kentucky is 0-6 all-time versus Morehead State, including a 74-61 setback last season.
- G Tayler Persons scored 30 points versus Chattanooga on Tuesday, going 7-of-15 from the field and 14-of-14 at the line.
- Persons' 30-point effort was the first for NKU since David Palmer scored 39 against UC Clermont on Dec. 23, 2009.
- #DiaperDandy G Tayler Persons leads NKU in scoring (12.3 ppg), assists (3.2 apg) and steals (1.5).
- F Jalen Billups ranks among NKUís all-time leaders in FG % (3rd, .602), blocks (12th, 64) & blocks per game (14th, 0.9).
- Billups scored a season-high 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting versus Chattanooga.
- F Deontae Cole registered career-highs in points (15), made field goals and made threes (5) against UC Clermont.
- Cole has started the last two games and is averaging 11.0 points per game on 6-of-10 from three.
- G Chad Jackson is averaging 5.9 points and a team-best 4.2 rebounds per game.
Persons at the Point
Guard Tayler Persons has emerged as one of NKUís leaders as a true freshman. Persons has recorded double-digit scoring efforts in four-of-the-last-five games. He tallied a then-career-high 23 points to lead NKU past Idaho, 79-74. Personsí efforts against EWU and Idaho garnered him A-Sun Newcomer of the Week accolades. In NKUís last outing, Persons put up a new-career-high 30 points on 7-of-15 shooting and perfect 14-of-14 from the line. He also dished out five assists.
Persons has made his presence felt all over the court for the Norse. He leads Northern Kentucky in scoring (12.3 ppg), assists (3.2 apg) and steals (1.5 spg). He is second on the squad in rebounding at 4.0 rpg.
Scouting Morehead State
Morehead State enters at 4-9 overall, following a 66-50 loss at Green Bay and have now dropped five in a row. The Eagles have losses to Cincinnati and No. 12/12 Ohio State on the ledger and hold wins over Marshall and Presbyterian. Angelo Warner is averaging a team-best 14.2 points-per-game
NKU is 0-6 all-time versus Morehead State, including a 74-61 setback at The Bank of Kentucky Center last season. Dean Danos led the Norse with 13 points and Jalen Billups chipped in 11. The Eaglesí Angelo Warner dropped in a game-high 25 points.
Last Time Out: Chattanooga
Both Northern Kentucky and Chattanooga started the game on fire. NKU shot 58.3 percent (14-of-24) in the first half, while Chattanooga connected on 72.7 percent (16-of-22) of its attemps. The Mocs built a 12-point lead and expanded it to as many as 21 before the Norse defense found its stride. NKU held UTC scoreless for nearly six minutes beginning at the seven-minute mark of the second half. However, the Norse were unable to overcome the large deficit they built.
Tayler Persons scored a career- and game-high 30 points on 7-of-15 shooting and 14-of-14 from the line. Jalen Billups chipped in 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting.
Superlatives
In the last two games, Northern Kentuckyís bench has outscored its opponents, 126-43. The Norse have also owned the paint, staking claim to a 70-38 advantage.
Feeling the Holiday Rush
NKU kicked off a flurry of games before the holiday season with its Dec. 14 home game versus UC-Clermont. Northern Kentucky is in the midst of playing four games in a nine-day stretch prior to the Chrismas holiday. Two games are left, at Morehead State on Friday, Dec. 19 and then Idaho at home on Dec. 22. With its 93-81 loss to Chattanooga and a 107-53 win over UC Clermont, NKU is 1-1 so far.
Following a four-day break for Christmas, NKU will play three more games in an eight-day stretch. The second stretch of games starts at Northwestern on Dec. 27, continues at Youngstown State on New Yearís Eve and wraps up on Jan. 3 with Toledo at home.
