HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Following a win in its home-opening game on Tuesday night, the Northern Kentucky University men's basketball team will host Morehead State on Saturday night in an in-state battle. Tip is slated for 7 p.m.
 
Game Information
Northern Kentucky University Norse (1-1 Overall, 0-0 Horizon League)
Morehead State University Eagles (1-1 Overall, 0-0 OVC)
Saturday, Nov. 21 - 7:00 p.m. (ET)
BB&T Arena (9,400) in Highland Heights, Ky.
TV: ESPN3 with Brady Laber (Play-by-Play) and Brad Redford (Analysis)
Radio: 55KRC (550 AM) with Jim Kelch (Play-by-Play) and Steve Moeller (Analysis)
 
Fast Break Points (140 Characters or Less)
• NKU improved to 1-1 on the year with an 83-71 win over Tiffin on Tuesday.
• NKU totaled 54 points in the second half vs. TU, the most since a 58-point second half against UC Clermont (12/14/14) last year.
• The Norse recorded 19 assists on 26 made baskets versus Tiffin. Holland led the way with 9.
• As a team, NKU is shooting 44.3% from the field and 69.6% at the line.
• Opponents are shooting a mere 29.5% (13-of-44) from three against NKU this season.
• Four Norse are currently averaging in double figures, Billups (14.5 ppg), Murray (13.5), White (10.5) and Holland (10.5).
• F Jalen Billups led the nation w/ 69.6% shooting last year, setting NKU's single-season record. He's opened this year at 71.4% (10-14).
• Billups ranks among NKU's all-time leaders in FG % (2nd, .637), blocks (t-6th, 95) & blocks per game (t-12th, 1.0).
• Billups and G Tyler White climbed NKU's all-time scoring list. Billups ranks 36th w/ 848 points & White checks in at No. 42 (774).
• White led NKU in made 3's (66) in '14-15 & is 13th in NKU's record books with 143-career treys.
• G Lavone Holland II just missed a triple-double in just his second game as a Norse w/ 10 points, 12 boards & 9 assists.
• G Cole Murray has had the hot hand from long range, shooting 50% (6-of-12) from three this year.
• Murray dropped 18 points on Tiffin behind 7-of-12 shooting from the floor.
• F/C Drew McDonald is averaging 8.5 ppg behind 54.5% (6-for-11) shooting as just a freshman.
 
Scouting Morehead State
The Morehead State University Eagles enter Saturday's contest at 1-1 overall. MSU blew away Cincinnati Christian in its season-opener, 87-51, but fell on the road to Illinois State, 67-66, on a buzzer-beating shot. The Eagles are averaging 76.5 points per game, while giving up just 59.0 points per contest.
 
Xavier Moon leads a trio of players averaging double-figures in scoring. He's scoring at a 13.5 points per game clip behind 61 percent shooting. DeJuan Marrero and Corban Collins add 11 and 10 points, respectively.
 
Series Stuff: Morehead State
NKU and MSU have previously met seven times on the hardwood, with the Norse trailing in the all-time series, 1-6. However, NKU won last season's meeting in Morehead, Kentucky, in convincing fashion.
 
With the Norse leading 7-6 in the early going, NKU broke out on a 19-0 run to go ahead by 20. Northern Kentucky weathered surges by Morehead State in both the first and second-halves en route to an 83-60 win. Tyler White led the charge with 19 first-half points and a career-best 24. The junior guard knocked down 8-of-14 field-goal attempts, including a career-high five treys. Tayler Persons added 16 points and eight assists, while committing only three miscues against the Eagles' full-court pressure. Jalen Billups and Chad Jackson each chipped in 10 points.
 
Last Time Out: Tiffin
Lavone Holland II, Jalen Billups and Cole Murray led the Northern Kentucky men's basketball team to an 83-71 win over Tiffin in John Brannen's home debut as head coach of the Norse. Holland fell an assist shy of a triple-double with 10 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists. Billups tallied 19 second-half points en route to a 22-point effort and Cole Murray dropped in 18 points for the Norse. NKU used a 54-point second-half, the most since scoring 58 in the second half against UC Clermont (Dec. 14, 2014) last season. With the victory, NKU improved to 3-0 all-time versus TU.
 
Murray Dialing Long Distance
Junior guard Cole Murray has found his shooting touch in the early going this season. He's connected on 10-of-19 field-goal attempts (52.6 percent), including 6-of-12 from long range. Murray is among NKU's all-time three-point shooting leaders. His 39.6 percent shooting from three ranks t-16th all-time at NKU. And, with 86 career triples, he is just 20 shy of moving into the top 20 all-time at NKU where he would join teammates Tyler White (13th, 143) and Todd Johnson (17th, 109).

Inside the Numbers: Billups
Over the last 40 games, which covers 657 days and dates back to Feb. 14, 2014 against Jacksonville, Jalen Billups has only been held below 50 percent shooting on one occasion, an 0-for-2 performance versus then-No. 16/17 West Virginia (Dec. 7, 2014). In that span, he has converted 60 percent or better 30 times and at least 75 percent 13 times. Billups has knocked down 190-of-278 attempts in that time frame, good for a blistering 68.3 percent.