Game NotesHIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - Northern Kentucky welcomes UT Martin to The Bank of Kentucky Center to open a three-game home stand on Wednesday, Dec. 3. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m., between the Norse and Skyhawks. Nationally-ranked West Virginia (16/17) will come to town on Dec. 7 and UC Clermont heads across the river on Dec. 14 to close out the home stand. Tickets are still available for all three contests at
www.NorseTickets.com.
Northern Kentucky University Norse (3-3 Overall, 0-0 Atlantic Sun)
University of Tennessee at Martin Skyhawks (3-2 Overall, 0-0 OVC)
Wed., Dec. 3 - 7:00 p.m. (ET)
The Bank of Kentucky Center (9,400) in Highland Heights, Ky.
TV: ESPN3 with Brady Laber (play-by-play) and Amber Stocks (analysis)
Radio: 55KRC (550 AM) with Jim Kelch (play-by-play) and Steve Moeller (analysis)
Fast Break Points
- NKU picked up its first road win of the season, 79-74, over Idaho by outscoring UI, 11-6, in the last 2 minutes.
- Four Norse reached double-digits for the 1st time this season at Idaho, led by Tayler Personsí career-high 23 points.
- Daniel Camps (14), Cole Murray (11) and Jalen Billups (10) also reached double-figures. Chad Jackson had 9 points, 6 boards.
- NKUís 3-3 record has the Norse at .500 for the second time in the DI era. The Norse were also 2-2 earlier this season.
- After dropping the opening two games of the season against nationally-ranked teams, the Norse have gone 3-1.
- In its last four games, NKU is shooting 51.4 percent (114-of-222) and holding its foes to 41.2 percent (87-of-211).
- Northern Kentucky and UT Martin will meet for the second time on Wednesday. UT Martin won last seasonís matchup, 79-66.
- #DiaperDandy G Tayler Persons leads NKU in scoring (10.7 ppg), rebounds (4.8 rpg) and assists (3.3 apg).
- Persons scored a career-high 23 points vs. Idaho, shooting 7-of-9 from the floor & 9-of-10 from the charity stripe.
- F Jalen Billups ranks among NKUís all-time leaders in FG % (3rd, .599), blocks (13th, 61) and blocks per game (14th, 0.9).
- F Daniel Camps tallied a team-high 14 points vs. EWU & followed w/ 14 more vs. Idaho. He is now averaging 8.3 ppg.
- Two Norse are averaging over 60 percent from the floor, Daniel Camps (69.0%) and Jalen Billups (61.1%).
- G Cole Murray leads the team in three-point field goals (15) and 3-point field goal percent (48.4).
Scouting UT Martin
The University of Tennessee at Martin menís basketball team brings a 3-2 mark into Wednesday's game. In its last outing on Friday, Nov. 28, UT Martin fell at Nebraska, 75-64.
Four Skyhawks average double-figures, led by Twymond Howard's 15.4 points per game. Myles Taylor is averaging 12.4, Marshun Newell is scoring 11.0 and Alex Anderson adds 10.2 points per game. As a squad, UT Martin is averaging 78.2 points per game, while allowing 62.4. Although, those numbers are inflated by a 115-29 victory over Champion Baptist.
Last Time Out: Idaho
Daniel Camps opened the first possession of the game with a three-point shot and NKU never trailed in a 79-74 win over Idaho. The Vandals slowly worked back from a 14-point second-half deficit and briefly tied the game, but NKU used an 11-6 run over the final 2:15 to earn its first road win of the season.
Tayler Persons scored a game- and career-high 23 points on an efficient 7-for-9 from the floor and 9-of-10 at the charity stripe. Camps finished his second-straight 14-point game, while Cole Murray and Jalen Billups added 11 and 10 points, respectively, to give the Norse four double-figure scorers for the first time this season.
Norse Finding Their Touch
Through the first six games of the season, NKU is shooting 44.7 percent (149-of-333). That number is dramatically better over the last four contests, where NKU has knocked down 51.4 percent (114-of-222). The Norse are 80-of-129 (62.0 percent) from two-point territory and 34-of-93 (36.6 percent) during that stretch.
Equally as important, the NKU defense has limited its opponents to 41.2 percent (87-of-211) over the same time frame and NKU has gone 3-1.
Sharp Shooting Norse
Sophomore forward Daniel Camps and junior forward Jalen Billups have been on target this season. Camps leads the Norse and the Atlantic Sun in field-goal percentage at 69.0 (20-of-29) after his 5-of-6 shooting effort against Idaho. Billups is close behind at 61.1 percent (22-of-36), fourth-best in the A-Sun.
From three-point territory, Cole Murray has connected on 48.4 percent (15-of-31) of his attempts. That total sits fourth in the league.
Persons at the Point
Guard Tayler Persons has begun to emerge as one of NKUís leaders as a true freshman. After starting the first game of his collegiate career at No. 3/4 Wisconsin, Persons has gone on to record double-digit scoring efforts in the 3-of-the-last-4 games. He tallied a career-high 23 points on 7-of-9 shooting from the floor and 9-of-10 at the free-throw line to lead NKU past Idaho, 79-74. Personsí efforts against EWU and Idaho garnered him A-Sun Newcomer of the Week accolades.
Persons has made his presence felt all over the court for the Norse. He leads Northern Kentucky in scoring (10.7 ppg), rebounding (4.8 rpg) assists (3.3 apg) and steals (1.3 spg).
