HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Atlantic Sun Conference schedule kicks off for Northern Kentucky at Lipscomb on Saturday, Jan. 10, with a scheduled start time of 7:30 p.m. Both teams enter the game at 6-9 overall, with the six non-conference wins for the Norse serving as a new Division I-era record.

Northern Kentucky University Norse (6-9 Overall, 0-0 Atlantic Sun)
Lipscomb University Bisons (6-9 Overall, 0-0 Atlantic Sun)
Sat., Jan. 10 - 7:30 p.m. (ET)/6:30 p.m. (CT)
Allen Arena (5,028) in Nashville, Tenn.
TV: ESPN3 with Jonathon Seamon and Justin Seamon 
Radio: ESPN 1530 (AM) with Jim Kelch (play-by-play) and Steve Moeller (analysis)

Fast Break Points

• The Norse were picked to finish 5th in the A-Sun this season by both the coaches & media, NKU's highest A-Sun preseason rank to date.
• For the first time since reclassifying to DI prior to the 2012-13 season, NKU is eligible to participate in the A-Sun Conference Tournament.
• NKU posted a 5-13 mark in conference play last year and 9-9 record two seasons ago.
• NKU won the first league meeting against Lipscomb two years ago, but has lost the last three contests including both games last year by a combined five points.
• Northern Kentucky is 2-6 on the road this year. Lipscomb is 5-1 at home, with three of those wins coming against non-DI schools.
• The Norse enter A-Sun league play ranked second in shooting (44.7 percent) and turnovers (11.5).
• F Jalen Billups ranks among NKU's all-time leaders in FG % (2nd, .606), blocks (11th, 73) & blocks per game (12th, 1.0).
• #DiaperDandy G Tayler Persons leads NKU in scoring (12.9 ppg), assists (3.9 apg) and steals (1.2).
• Persons is 8th in the A-Sun in scoring and third in assists. He is also 10th in steals and 24th in rebounding.
• In the last seven games, Persons is averaging 15.9 ppg, while White is at 11.1 and Billups at 10.6.
• G Anthony Monaco leads the A-Sun in 3-point percentage (50) and Billups leads the league in field goal percentage (63.6).
• G Tyler White has started each of the last five games and leads NKU in made threes (26).

NKU's Non-Conference Slate

Northern Kentucky concluded its non-conference schedule with a 6-9 record. The six non-conference wins set a new program record in the Division I era, equalling the six combined victories from NKUís first two season's of play at the NCAAís top level. The Norse won two non-conference games in its inaugural season and followed with four more in its second campaign last year.

Big Time Schedule

Not only did NKU open at Big Ten powers No. 3/4 Wisconsin and No. 21/21 Nebraska, but the Norse also hosted a third Power 5-conference member in No. 16/17 West Virginia. NKU met a fourth Power 5 school when it took onNorthwestern on Dec. 27.

In its non-conference schedule, the Norse played games against teams from seven different conferences, including the  Big Ten (3), Big Sky (3), OVC (2), Big 12, Horizon, MAC, Southern and MEAC.

Atlantic Sun Preseason Polls

In the preseason Atlantic Sun prognostications, Northern Kentucky was picked to finish fifth by both the head coaches and members of the media. NKU was picked ninth (coaches) and tied-eighth (media) last year and finished tied-eighth. In 2012-13, Northern Kentucky's first season as a DI program, the Norse were selected to finish dead last (10th) in both polls. Instead, NKU posted a 9-9 mark and finished fifth.

Scouting Lipscomb

Lipscomb enters at a 6-9 mark that is identical to NKU's. Similar to the Norse, the Bison played a tough non-conference slate that included games against  Vanderbilt (L, 72-62), Colorado (L, 84-75), Texas (L, 106-61) and Missouri (L, 72-60). LU is 5-1 on its home court in Allen Arena, with its lone loss coming to Belmont on Nov. 17.

Three players score at a double-digit clip for the Bison. Josh Williams averages 14.5 points per game to lead the team. Malcom Smith (12.8) and Martin Smith (11.9) are the other two players in double-figures. As a team, Lipscomb scores 70.7 points per game and shoots 42.1 percent from the floor. Opponents are averaging 74.5 points per game and 44.6 percent shooting.

Series Stuff - Lipscomb

The Norse are 2-5 all-time against the Bison, including a 1-3 mark since becoming a DI program and joining Lipscomb in the Atlantic Sun Conference. Northern Kentucky won the first A-Sun meeting in the 2012-13 season, 67-53, but have dropped the last three games in the series. Lipscomb won both meetings last season by a combined total of five points. Jordan Jackson led the Norse in those two games, averaging 14 points and nine boards a game. Cole Murray connected on 7-of-14 long range shots and put up 12.5 points per game. Jalen Billups posted 11 points and 6.5 rebounds per game in the two contests.

Last Time Out: Toledo

Northern Kentucky led for the first 39:59.3, but a Toledo three-pointer with 0.7-seconds remaining sank the Norse, 57-55. Tayler Persons stuffed the stat sheet with 11 points, seven assists and five rebounds. Tyler White was the only other Norse to reach double figures, tallying 10 points. Jalen Billups added nine points and five boards, while Chad Jackson hauled in a team-best seven rebounds.