Game Notes

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - Winners of three of their last four games, the Northern Kentucky Norse head to DeLand, Florida, for an Atlantic Sun Conference matchup with the Stetson Hatters. NKU brings a 9-11 overall record and 3-2 league mark into the meeting, while SU enters at 5-15 overall, 0-5 A-Sun.

Northern Kentucky University Norse (9-11 Overall, 3-2 Atlantic Sun)

Stetson University Hatters (5-15 Overall, 0-5 Atlantic Sun)

Thurs., Jan. 29 - 7:00 p.m. (ET)

The J. Ollie EdmundsCenter (4,000) in DeLand, Fla.

TV: ESPN3 with Robbie Aaron (play-by-play) and Jim Tarabocchia (analysis) 

Radio: FOX Sports 1360 (AM) with Jim Kelch (play-by-play) and Steve Moeller (analysis)

Fast Break Points

• NKU moved above .500 (3-2) in A-Sun play with an 81-59 win over Jacksonville last Saturday.
• The win over Jacksonville provided head coach Dave Bezold with his 190th victory as HC at NKU. 
• Sitting at 9-11 overall, NKU has already matched last season's win total (9). The Norse are two wins away from their 2012-13 total (11).
• NKU is second overall in the A-Sun in shooting (45.0%) and turnovers (11.6). In A-Sun games, NKU ranks No. 1 in shooting (45.8%).
• Four Norse are averaging double-digits in A-Sun play, Billups (16.2), C. Jackson (14.0), White (11.6) and Persons (10.4).
• F Jalen Billups ranks among NKU's all-time leaders in FG % (2nd, .624), blocks (10th, 81) & blocks per game (12th, 1.0).
• Billups leads the league and ranks third nationally (ESPN) in field goal percentage (69.5), a mark that currently tops NKU's record books as well. 
• Billups is averaging 16.2 ppg in A-Sun games behind 82.5 percent shooting, which leads the league by over 17 percent.
• G Chad Jackson is third in A-Sun games in shooting, making 63.4 percent of his attempts.
• C. Jackson moved into the top-50 in all-time scoring at NKU last Thursday with 26 points. He now sits 47th with 726 points.
• In the last four games, C. Jackson is averaging 17.5 points per game on 65.0 percent shooting and 8.0 rebounds per game.
• #DiaperDandy G Tayler Persons leads NKU in scoring (12.3 ppg), assists (3.7 apg) and steals (1.2).
• In the last 12 games, Persons is averaging 13.6 ppg, while Billups is at 12.9 and White at 11.3.
• G Tyler White has started 9-of-the-last-10 games. He leads NKU in made threes (39) & is 16th in NKU's record books with 115-career treys.
• G Todd Johnson swiped a career-high five steals against Jacksonville, harrassing the Dolphins' guards all game.

Milestones On The Horizon

Season Shooting Percentage
1.    Jalen Billups ('14-15)    69.5 %
2.     Adam Norwell ('00-01)    65.8 %
3.    Jesse Rupe ('02-03)    65.11 %
4.    Jalen Billups ('11-12)    65.06 %

Career Scoring
42.    Larry Hock    740
43.    Eshaunte Jones    736
44.    Andy Listerman    733
45.    Kevin Rienhardt    731
46.    Ethan Faulkner    728
47.    Chad Jackson    726
48.    Ron Marbrey    715
49.    Billy Finnell    709
50.    Marvin Wilson    706
    Vincent Humprey     698
    Jalen Billups    697
    Tyler White    624

Career Blocks
7.    DeAndre Nealy    85
8.    Mike Vieth    83
9.    Terry Hairson    82
10.    Jalen Billups    81

Career Steals
17.    Willie Schlarman    110
18.    Steve Pollock    107
19.    Chad Jackson    106

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, .624), blocks (10th, 81) and blocks per game (13th, 1.0).

So far this season, the Cincinnati, Ohio, native is 89-of-128 for 69.5 percent, a total that ranks third in the nation (via ESPN), leads the A-Sun and, if the season ended today, would be the best in program history. 

Billups' 10.6 points per game average is second-most on the team (18th A-Sun). In Atlantic Sun Conference action, Billups is averaging 16.2 points per game (t-9th in A-Sun) on league-leading 82.5 percent shooting. He is also averaging 6.2 rebounds through five league contests (8th 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. The senior guard has been tearing up the A-Sun, scoring to the tune of 14.0 points per game in conference action. Of Jackson's eight double-digit scoring efforts this year, half of them have come in the last four games against A-Sun opponents. 

Jackson is now averaging 8.5 points and leads Northern Kentucky in rebounding at 5.4 boards per game.

Scouting Stetson

Stetson is the lone Atlantic Sun team without a conference victory on its ledger, sitting at 0-5 in league play and 5-15 overall. The Hatters have lost five in a row and 10 of their last 12. Opponents post 73.3 points per game on SU, the second worst average in the A-Sun.

Kentwan Smith paces Stetson's offensive attack at 12.7 points per game on the strength of 57 percent (94-of-165) shooting, which is third in the league behind NKU's Jalen Billups and teammate Brian Pegg (58.9 percent). Divine Myles (10.7) and Pegg (10.3) also average double-digits.

Series Stuff - Stetson

Northern Kentucky is 2-2 all-time against Stetson, including last season's series sweep. In the first meeting on the road in DeLand, Florida, NKU staked claim to a 69-67 overtime victory on Jake Giesler's offensive rebound and stickback with 1.2-ticks left on the clock. Jordan Jackson poured in 13 points and both Jalen Billups and Tyler White added 12 in the Norse victory. The second meeting wasn't nearly as thrilling as NKU rolled to a 96-58 home win. Cole Murray knocked down five trifectas en route to a game-high 17 points. In total five Norse reached double-digits in the game, with Billups (14), White (14), Jackson (13) and Danos (10) all reaching the plateau.

Last Time Out: Jacksonville

Jacksonville hung around for the first 15 minutes, but NKU slowly pulled away in the first half. Deontae Cole knocked down three treys in the first half and Tayler Persons connected on a layup at the horn to help NKU build a 43-32 halftime advantage. Jacksonville never whittled the lead to single digits and Tayler Persons went on a personal 10-0 run over a span of 1:29 with just under four minutes left to put the game away in an 81-59 victory. Persons finished with a game-high 18 points, while both Jalen Billups and Chad Jackson continued their assault on the league with 17 and 15, respectively. Billups and Jackson combined to shoot 12-of-14 from the floor. White finished with 13 points.