MBB treks over Ohio River for matchup with Xavier
 
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University men's basketball team will play its fourth game in the first 11 days of the season when it makes the short trip across the Ohio River to face the Xavier University Musketeers on Monday night at XU's Cintas Center.
 
Game Information
Northern Kentucky University Norse (1-2 Overall, 0-0 Horizon League)
Xavier University Musketeers (3-0 Overall, 0-0 BIG EAST)
Monday, Nov. 23 - 8:45 p.m. (ET)
Cintas Center (10,250) in Cincinnati, Ohio
TV: FOX Sports 1 with Dick Stockton (Play-by-Play) and Nick Bahe (Analysis)
Radio: FOXSports1360 (1360 AM) with Jim Kelch (Play-by-Play) and Steve Moeller (Analysis)
 
Fast Break Points (140 Characters or Less)
• NKU fell to 1-2 on the year with a 64-56 setback to Morehead State on Saturday.
• When the Norse takes the court on Monday against Xavier it will be NKU's fourth game in 11 days to open the season.
• As a team, NKU is shooting 42.4% from the field and 68.1% at the line.
• Three Norse have led NKU in scoring in each of the first three games, White (WVU), Billups (Tiffin) and Holland (MSU).
• F Jalen Billups led the nation w/ 69.6% shooting last year, setting NKU's single-season record. He's opened this year at 73.7% (14-19).
• Billups ranks among NKU's all-time leaders in FG % (2nd, .638), blocks (6th, 99) & blocks per game (11th, 1.0).
• Billups and G Tyler White climbed NKU's all-time scoring list. Billups ranks 35th w/ 857 points & White checks in at No. 42 (779).
• White led NKU in made 3's (66) in '14-15 & is 13th in NKU's record books with 144-career treys.
• In the last two games G Lavone Holland II has averaged 10.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game.
• Holland is averaging a team-best 7.7 rebounds per game
• G Cole Murray has had the hot hand from long range, shooting 50% (7-of-14) from behind the arc this year.
• G Matt Rosenwinkel is averaging 16.0 minutes per game and is scoring at 3.0 ppg, both career highs.
• F/C Drew McDonald is averaging 6.3 ppg behind 53.8% (7-for-13) shooting as just a freshman.
 
Holland Seeing Triple
Sophomore guard Lavone Holland II had quite a game against Tiffin in Northern Kentucky's home opener. The 6-2 guard did  a little bit of everything, posting 10 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists, narrowly missing his first career triple-double. Despite just missing the triple-double, Holland still wrapped up the game with his first career double-double.
 
On the season, Holland is second on the team in scoring at 10.7 points per game, but leads the Norse with 7.7 boards and 5.7 assists per contest. In the last two games alone, Holland averaged 10.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game. He's also posted an assist-to-turnover ratio of 3.75 in those games.
 
Scouting Xavier
Xavier enters as arguably one of the hottest teams in the country to start the season. The Musketeers are a perfect 3-0 and are coming off of a dominant 86-70 road win over No. 24/25 Michigan on Friday night. XU is scoring at an 81.7 points per game clip and is one of the nation's top-rebounding teams (18th, +15.7 rpg).
 
Seven Musketeers are averaging eight points or better, including four in double-figures. Trevon Bluiett leads XU at 14.3 points per game, and J.P. Macura (13.7), Edmon Sumner (13.3), and Jalen Reynolds (10.3) also average double-digits. James Farr chips in 9.0 points and 10.7 rebounds per game.
 
Series Stuff: Xavier
This marks the sixth-time that Northern Kentucky and Xavier will take the hardwood together, but the first since Jan. 6, 1979. The Musketeers lead the all-time series, 3-2, after winning the first three in the series. However, NKU has won the last two meetings. NKU pulled out a 63-61 overtime victory in the 1979 matchup. Tom Schneider scored a team-best 25 points and Gary Woeste hauled in 19 rebounds. One year earlier, the Norse took down the Musketeers, 59-58 (Jan. 14, 1978).
 
Last Time Out: Morehead State
Lavone Holland II put up a second solid effort in a row with 11 points, seven rebounds and six assists, but Northern Kentucky fell to Morehead State in the waning moments, 64-58. Jalen Billups continued his hot shooting, converting 4-of-5 attempts for nine points, while Deontae Cole also added nine points on 3-for-7 shooting from long range. The two teams battled back-and-forth with 15 lead changes and 7 ties in the contest. Holland's driving layup gave NKU its last lead, 54-53, at the 6:19-mark. The Norse then went a little over four minutes without scoring, but the Eagles only managed to pull ahead by three, 59-56. However, MSU went 5-of-6 at the line in the final minute to seal NKU's fate.