Game NotesHIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University men's basketball team welcomes No. 16/17 West Virginia to The Bank of Kentucky Center on Sunday, Dec. 7, at 6:00 p.m. Norse fans are encouraged to where white, as NKU plans to white-out WVU. Tickets are available via
www.NorseTickets.com.
Northern Kentucky University Norse (3-4 Overall, 0-0 Atlantic Sun)
West Virginia University Mountaineers (7-1 Overall, 0-0 Big 12)
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: The Project (100.7/106.3 FM) with Jim Kelch (play-by-play) and Steve Moeller (analysis)
Fast Break Points
- NKU and West Virginia will meet in the regular-season for the first time Sunday, although the teams played an exhibition in 2011-12.
- NKU defeated WVU, 77-74, on Eshaunte Jonesí 25-footer in exhibition play on 11/4/11. Chad Jackson & Jalen Billups both played in that game.
- Current NKU assistant Ethan Faulkner was the starting PG for the Norse in that exhibition win. He handed out a game-high 5 assists.
- This will be NKU's third opponent, in just eight games this season, which enters the contest ranked. WVU is No. 16/17.
- Asst. Coach Kevin Schappell spent three seasons from 2007-2010 as a graduate assistant at WVU with Bob Huggins.
- Junior G Anthony Monaco is the nephew of WVU head coach Bob Huggins. Monaco's mother Karen and Bob are siblings.
- #DiaperDandy G Tayler Persons leads NKU in scoring (11.3 ppg), rebounds (4.6 rpg) assists (3.1 apg) and steals (1.3).
- Persons is the reigning A-Sun Newcomer of the Week after averaging 15.0 ppg in matchups at Eastern Washington & Idaho.
- F Jalen Billups ranks among NKU's all-time leaders in FG % (3rd, .600), blocks (13th, 61) & 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 (64.7%) and Jalen Billups (61.5%).
- G Cole Murray leads the team in three-point field goals (15), while G Anthony Monaco leads NKU in 3-pt FG% (43.9).
Keeping it in the Family
Northern Kentucky junior guard Anthony Monaco and West Virginia head coach Bob Huggins are related. Monacoís mother Karen Monaco and Huggins are siblings, making Huggins Anthonyís uncle. Monaco is averaging 3.9 points per game and is fifth in the A-Sun in three-point field-goal percentage (43.8)
Coaching Connections
Current NKU assistant coach Kevin Schappell spent three seasons (2007-08 - 2009-10) as an assistant coach at WVU for Huggins and the Mountaineers. West Virginia reached the NCAA Tournament all three seasons, including a Sweet 16 appearance in 2008 in which the Mountaineers fell, 79-75, to a Xavier University team that featured current NKU assistant coach DantÈ Jackson. During the 2009-10 NCAA Tournament, Huggins, Schappell and company reached the final four in Indianapolis, Ind., where the Mountaineers fell to eventual national-champion Duke.
Upsetting Exhibition
Although NKU and WVU have never officially met in regular-season action, the Norse travled to Morgantown, West Virginia, for a preseason exhibition game against the Mountaineers. EshauntÈ Jones drained a 25-foot 3-pointer with 1.1 ticks left on the clock to send Northern Kentucky away with a 77-74 win. Current Norse Chad Jackson and Jalen Billups played in that game. Jackson started the contest, scoring nine points on 4-of-6 shooting and recording seven boards and four assists. Billups played two minutes off the bench. Current NKU assistant coach Ethan Faulkner was the starting point guard for the Norse and dished out a game-high five assists.
Scouting West Virginia
West Virginia enters Sundayís contest ranked No. 16 in the AP and No. 17 in the USA Today Coaches Poll. Following their game versus LSU on Thursday night, West Virginia boasts a 7-1 record that includes victories over Boston College and reigning national-champion UConn en route to winning the Puerto Rico Tip-Off. The Mountaineers dropped their first game of the season on Thursday, falling, 74-73, to LSU in the Big 12/SEC Challenge.
Juwan Staten, a product of nearby Dayton, Ohio, and University of Dayton transfer, leads West Virginia in scoring (15.4 ppg) and assists (4.3 apg). Jonathon Holton and Devin Williams also post double-digit scoring averages at 11.8 and 10.6 points per game, respectively. WVU averages 81.0 points per game and limits its opponents to 64.0.
Big Time Schedule
Not only did NKU open at Big Ten powers No. 3/4 Wisconsin and No. 21/21 Nebraska, but now the Norse play a third Power 5-conference member in West Virginia. The Big 12ís West Virginia Mountaineers, which are ranked 16th in the latest AP Poll and 17th in the USA Today Coaches Poll, head to Highland Heights, Kentucky, and The Bank of Kentucky Center for a showdown with Northern Kentucky on December 7. WVUís trip to Northern Kentucky marks the return of Mountaineer head coach Bob Huggins to the greater-Cincinnati area. Huggins spent from 1989-2005 as head coach of local-foe Cincinnati.
NKU will also head to the Windy City for a meeting with Northwestern on Dec. 27, wrapping up competition against members of the Power 5 conferences.
Last Time Out: UT Martin
In what started out as a back-and-forth affair through the first 10 minutes of the game, NKU went cold from the floor in a scoreless eight-minute stretch and never recovered in a 71-55 setback to UT Martin. Three Norse reached double-figures, led by reigning A-Sun Newcomer of the Week Tayler Personsí 15 points. Tyler White chipped in 12 points and Chad Jackson added 10.
