Game Notes

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - A three-game home stand for the Northern Kentucky men's basketball team will open on Saturday, Feb. 7, at The Bank of Kentucky Center when Lipscomb comes to town as part of a doubleheader with the women's basketball team. Tip for the mens' game is scheduled for 7:05 p.m., which will follow a 4 p.m. start for the women's game.

It's a big weekend on campus for Norse Nation, as a new Prince and Princess will be crowned during the women's contest and a new King and Queen will ascend to the throne during the Homecoming festivities surrounding the men's game. NKU will also induct six individuals and one team into the David Lee Holt Hall of Fame in a ceremony on Sunday.

Northern Kentucky University Norse (9-13 Overall, 3-4 Atlantic Sun)
Lipscomb University Bison (10-12 Overall, 4-3 Atlantic Sun)
Sat., Feb. 7 - 7:00 p.m. (ET)
The Bank of Kentucky Center (9,400) in Highland Heights, Ky.
TV: ESPN3 with Andrew Kappes (play-by-play) and Amber Stocks-Whitford (analysis)
Radio: 55KRC (550 AM) with Jim Kelch (play-by-play) and Steve Moeller (analysis)

Fast Break Points

• Northern Kentucky dropped a 74-64 decision at FGCU on Saturday night, despite limiting FGCU to just 38 percent shooting.
• Sitting at 9-13 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 (11.5). In A-Sun games, NKU leads the league in shooting (45.6%).
• Since the start of A-Sun play, NKU has shot no worse than 41.1% in any game and has held two adversaries to less than 40% (Upstate, FGCU).
• NKU has made more FGs than each foe in A-Sun play, but its opponents have made more FTs than NKU has attempted in 5-of-7 league games.
• Four Norse are averaging double-digits in A-Sun play, Billups (16.3), Persons (12.0), C. Jackson (11.9) and White (11.1).
• 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.
• At 3-4 in conference play, the Norse currently sit in fifth.
• Saturday's game with Lipscomb marks the turn in the conference season. NKU dropped its first decision at Lipscomb, 80-61.
• F Jalen Billups ranks among NKU's all-time leaders in FG % (2nd, .623), blocks (t-7th, 85) & blocks per game (12th, 1.0).
• Billups leads the league and ranks fourth nationally (ESPN) in field goal percentage (67.7), a mark that currently tops NKU's record books as well. 
• Billups is averaging 16.3 ppg in A-Sun games behind 73.1 percent shooting, which leads the league by over 10 percent.
• G Chad Jackson and Billups are climbing NKU's all-time scoring list. Jackson sits 43rd with 739 points and Billups is 45th with 730 points.
• G Chad Jackson is fourth in A-Sun games in shooting, making 58.5 percent of his attempts.
• In the last six games, C. Jackson is averaging 13.8 points per game on 59.6 percent shooting and 6.2 rebounds per game.
• #DiaperDandy G Tayler Persons leads NKU in scoring (12.6 ppg), assists (3.6 apg) and steals (1.1).
• In the last 14 games, Persons is averaging 13.9 ppg, while Billups is at 13.4 and White at 11.1.
• G Tyler White has started 11-of-the-last-12 games. He also leads NKU in made 3's (42) & is 16th in NKU's record books with 118-career treys.

Sharp Shooting Norse

Led by junior forward Jalen Billups and senior guard Chad Jackson, Northern Kentucky tops the A-Sun in shooting during league action at 45.6 percent and ranks second in all games at 45.0 percent. 

Billups leads the league in shooting at 73.1 percent (49-of-67) in A-Sun only games.  He also tops the A-Sun in field-goal percent in all games and, according to ESPN ranks second nationally, knocking down 67.7 percent. Billups has only been held below 50 percent shooting one time the entire season, an 0-for-2 performance versus No. 16/17 West Virginia. He has shot 60 percent or better in 16 of NKU's 22 games and has made 75 percent or more eight times.

Jackson ranks fourth in the league in field-goal percent, connecting on 58.5 percent of his attempts in conference play. Jackson also sits sixth in overall field-goal percent (52.6).

Scouting Lipscomb

After starting the conference season 4-0, which included a double overtime home win over Jacksonville in the fourth game, Lipscomb has dropped three-straight games to North Florida, Florida Gulf Coast and Stetson. Josh Williams leads the Bison in scoring at 16.4 points per game, which includes the leagueís second-highest average in conference only games (20.6 ppg). Malcolm Smith (16.1) and Nathan Moran (10.7) are also scoring at double-digit clips in A-Sun games.

Since league play began on Jan. 10, Lipscomb is averaging 73.1 points per game, second-best in the A-Sun.

Series Stuff - Lipscomb

The Norse are 2-6 all-time against the Bison, including a 1-4 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 four games in the series. Lipscomb won both meetings last season by a combined total of five points and staked claim to an 80-61 decision over NKU in the first conference game for both teams earlier this year.

After connecting on three of its first four field-goal attempts, Northern Kentucky struggled to find offense until about the ten-minute mark of the second half in the 80-61 loss. Lipscomb had built a 20-point lead that it did not surrender. Tyler White scored 17 of his team-high 20 points after intermission. Jalen Billups tallied 14 points and Tayler Persons tacked on 10 in the outing.

Last Time Out: FGCU

An early 11-0 run from Florida Gulf Coast took a 7-6 Northern Kentucky lead and turned it into a 17-7 disadvantage for the Norse. NKU hung around and had the ball down five, 62-57, with four minutes remaining, but a turnover proved costly as FGCU scored the next five points and then knocked down seven free throws over the final minute to seal a 74-64 Eagle victory. Tayler Persons led NKU with 20 points and eight rebounds, while teammate Jalen Billups posted a 14-point, eight rebound effort. The Norse committed just eight turnovers in the game and outshot the Eagles, 45 percent to 38 percent. However, FGCU went to the charity stripe 30 times, making 22, while NKU made 13 free throws on just 20 attempts.

Milestones On The Horizon

Season Shooting Percentage
1.    Jalen Billups ('14-15)    67.7 %
2.     Adam Norwell ('00-01)    65.8 %
3.    Jesse Rupe ('02-03)    65.11 %
4.    Jalen Billups ('11-12)    65.06 %

Career Scoring

40.    Kevin Listerman    772
41.    Carl Mitchell    757
42.    Larry Hock    740
43.    Chad Jackson    739
44.    Eshaunte Jones    736
45.    Andy Listerman    733
46.    Kevin Rienhardt    731
47.    Jalen Billups    730
50.    Billy Finnell    709
    Marvin Wilson    706
    Vincent Humprey     698
    Tyler White    644

Career Blocks

6.    Gary Woeste    92
7.    Jalen Billups    85 
    DeAndre Nealy    85

Career Steals

16.    Billy Finnell    113
17.    Willie Schlarman    110
18.    Chad Jackson    109