HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – A pair of road games are all that remains in the Northern Kentucky men's basketball team's inaugural Horizon League season. The first of those contests comes against Cleveland State on Thursday night in Cleveland, Ohio. The matchup is part of a double-header for the Vikings in which their women play UIC at 5:30 p.m. and the men's game is scheduled for 7:30, but will start approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the women's contest.
 
Game Information
Northern Kentucky University Norse (9-18 Overall, 5-11 Horizon League)
Cleveland State University Vikings (8-21 Overall, 3-13 Horizon League)
Thursday, Feb. 25 - 7:30 p.m. (ET)
Wolstein Center (13,610) in Cleveland, Ohio
TV: TWC SportsChannel*/ESPN3** with Al Pawlowski (Play-by-Play) and Pat Vuyancih (Analysis)
Radio: FOXSports 1360 (1360 AM) with Jim Kelch (Play-by-Play) and Steve Moeller (Analysis)
 
* Time Warner SportsChannel is available locally on channels 510/511 (HD) in Northern Kentucky and 311/1311 (HD) in Southwest Ohio.
** The game on the ESPN3 platform is subject to blackout in certain markets.
 
Fast Break Points (140 Characters or Less)
• NKU rallied late for a third-straight game, but fell short, 67-64, at Wright State.
• NKU faces Cleveland State and Youngstown State on Thursday and Saturday, respectively, with #HLMBB seeding on the line.
• NKU is tied with Youngstown in seventh, but currently holds the tie-break by virtue of its win over YSU earlier this season.
• NKU dropped its first decision with CSU, 70-65, but defeated YSU, 84-64, for its first-ever #HLMBB win.
• NKU has three wins over teams in the RPI top-200 this year, the most in a season since beginning the reclassification process.
• F Jalen Billups led the nation w/ 69.6% shooting last year, and is shooting 59.7% (132-221) this year.
• Billups ranks among NKU's all-time leaders in FG % (2nd, .624), blocks (4th, 127) & blocks per game (11th, 1.1).
• Billups' career 62.4 percent shooting sits just outside the top-25 all-time in the NCAA.
• Billups and G Tyler White are climbing NKU's all-time scoring list. Billups ranks 20th w/ 1,155 points & White is No. 24 (1,071).
• White is averaging career-highs in scoring (11.8) and assists (3.6).
• G Cole Murray has made 55.7 percent (34-of-61) of his threes in the last ten games.
• Murray has had the hot hand from long range, shooting 47.3% (71-of-150) from behind the arc this year, No. 5 in the nation.
• F Drew McDonald is a two-time #HLMBB Freshman of the Week recipient and is averaging 12.4 points and 7.4 rebounds in league games.
• McDonald registered his fourth double-double of the year and second against Detroit with 13 points, 11 rebounds versus the Titans.
• G Lavone Holland II is third on the team in scoring (11.0 ppg) and rebounds (4.9 rpg), but leads NKU in assists (4.0 apg).
• G Dean Danos is shooting 53.8 percent (21-39) from three-point land this season.