Game Notes

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - Northern Kentucky will welcome Jacksonville to The Bank of Kentucky Center for Atlantic Sun men's basketball action on Saturday afternoon. The Norse enter at 8-11 overall and 2-2 in the A-Sun, one game ahead of the Dolphins in conference action. Jacksonville brings a 7-14 mark, including 1-3 record in the A-Sun. Two of the leagues top shooters, Jalen Billups and Chad Jackson, will lead NKU into the 1 p.m. game.

Northern Kentucky University Norse (8-11 Overall, 2-2 Atlantic Sun)
Jacksonville University Dolphins (7-14 Overall, 1-3 Atlantic Sun)
Sat., Jan. 24 - 1:00 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-Whitford (analysis) 
Radio: FOX Sports 1360 (AM) with Richard Skinner (play-by-play) and Steve Moeller (analysis)

Fast Break Points

• Northern Kentucky had a two-game A-Sun win-streak snapped with a 74-66 loss to North Florida on Thursday.
• Sitting at 8-11 overall, NKU is one win away from matching last season's win total (9). The Norse are three away from their 2012-13 total (11).
• NKU leads the A-Sun in steals (5.2) and is second in shooting (44.6%) and turnovers (11.7).
• At 2-2 in conference play, the Norse currently sit fourth.
• Three Norse are averaging double-digits in A-Sun play, Billups (16.0), C. Jackson (13.8) & White (11.2).
• F Jalen Billups ranks among NKUís all-time leaders in FG % (2nd, .620), blocks (10th, 79) & blocks per game (12th, 1.0).
• Billups leads the league in field goal percentage (68.3), a mark that currently tops NKU's record books as well. 
• Billups is averaging 16.0 ppg in A-Sun games behind 81.2 percent shooting, which leads the league by nearly 13 percent.
• G Chad Jackson scored a career-high 26 points against North Florida and tied a career-high with 12 boards.
• C. Jackson moved into the top-50 in all-time scoring at NKU on Thursday with his 26 points. He sits 48th with 711 points.
• In the last three games, C. Jackson is averaging 18.3 points per game on 61.8 percent shooting and 8.3 rebounds per game.
• #DiaperDandy G Tayler Persons leads NKU in scoring (11.9 ppg), assists (3.8 apg) and steals (1.2).
• In the last 11 games, Persons is averaging 13.2 ppg, while Billups is at 12.5 and White at 11.2.
• G Tyler White has started 8-of-the-last-9 games. He leads NKU in made threes (36) & is 16th in NKUís record books with 112-career treys.

Billups Is Rewriting Career Marks

Redshirt junior forward Jalen Billups is leaving his mark on NKU's record books. He ranks among NKU's all-time leaders in FG percent (2nd, .620), blocks (10th, 79) and blocks per game (13th, 1.0).

So far this season, the Cincinnati, Ohio, native is 82-of-120 for 68.3 percent, a total that leads the A-Sun and, if the season ended today, would be the best in program history. Adam Norwell made 125-of-190 attempts (65.8 percent) during the 2000-01 season. Billups connected on 65.1 percent (54-of-83) of his shots during the 2011-12 campaign, a mark that currently ranks third (does not factor in this season) in NKU's single-season records list. 

Billupsí 10.3 points per game average is second-most on the team. In Atlantic Sun Conference action, Billups is averaging 16.0 points per game (t-9th in A-Sun) on 81.2 percent shooting. He is also averaging 6.5 rebounds through four league contests (6th A-Sun).

Chad Chiming In

Chad Jackson recorded NKUís second double-double this season with a career-high 26 points and career-high-tying 12 rebounds against North Florida. He shot 10-of-15 (66.7 percent) from the floor in the win. Jackson is now averaging 8.2 points and leads in rebounding at 5.3 boards per game.

Jackson scored nine points and pulled down six boards at Idaho. His steal and layup with 53-seconds left in the game provided NKU with a five-point cushion en route to the win. Jackson followed with a 10-point, seven-rebound effort against UT Martin and has narrowly missed double-doubles against nationally-ranked West Virginia and Youngstown State. He also notched a then-season-high 19 points and seven-rebounds versus Kennesaw State.

Sharp Shooting Norse

Junior forward Jalen Billups and senior guard Chad Jackson are lighting up the A-Sun from the floor. Billups leads the conference in shooting at 81.2 percent (26-of32) in league only games.  He also tops the A-Sun in field-goal percent in all games, knocking down 68.3 percent. Jackson currently sits in fifth, connecting on 60.0 percent of his attempts in conference play. Similiar to Billups, Jackson also ranks fifth in overall field-goal percent (52.2 percent).

Scouting Jacksonville

Jacksonville enters the Saturday's game at 7-14 overall and 1-3 in Atlantic Sun action after falling, 80-77, in double-overtime at Lipscomb on Thursday. JU dropped the game after leading by 14 early in the second half. Andris Misters led three Dolphins with 20-point performances. Misters registered 22 points, while Kori Babineaux added 21 and Josh Adeyeye put up 20. The rest of the team combined for 14 points.

The Dolphins defeated Stetson (71-69) thanks to 24 points off the bench from Josh Adeyeye. Jacksonville has losses to North Florida (83-63) and FGCU (79-50) on its conference ledger.

Andris Misters and Kori Babineaux pace the Dolphins' offensive attack, averaging 14.9 and 13.7 points per game, respectively. Jacksonville averages just 62.3 points per game, the lowest in the A-Sun.

Series Stuff - Jacksonville

NKU is 2-2 all-time against JU, with the home team winning every game during the series. The Norse used 28 points from Jordan Jackson and 10 points and 12 rebounds from Jalen Billups to post a 73-66 win in the first meeting last season. Jackson followed with 18 points in the second matchup, but Keith McDougald tallied 22 points for the Dolphins in a 95-77 victory over the Norse in Jacksonville, Florida.

Last Time Out: North Florida

Chad Jackson registered a career-high 26 points and matched his career-high  in rebounds with 12, but Northern Kentucky fell, 74-66, to North Florida. The Norse trailed by six points at intermission (33-27) and as many as 11 with 12 minutes left before cutting the deficit to as little as three on two separate occassions. NKU was never able to crest the hump and pull even, as UNF connected on seven free throws in the final minute to extend its lead to eight, 74-66, at the buzzer.

The Norse committed 17 miscues, their second-highest total of the season, which led to a 24-8 advantage for the Ospreys in points off turnovers. NKU outpaced UNF in points in the paint (40-32), second chance points (16-2) and bench points (24-11). Jalen Billups tacked on a season-high 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting, while Tyler White chipped in 12.