COLLEGE STATION, Texas – The nonconference schedule concludes on Tuesday, Dec. 19, for the Northern Kentucky men's basketball team with a trip to College Station, Texas, for a matchup with ninth-ranked Texas A&M.
 
Game Information
Northern Kentucky University Norse (7-4 Overall, 0-0 Horizon League)
No. 9/9Texas A&M University Aggies (9-1 Overall, 0-0 SEC)
Tuesday, Dec. 19 – 8:00 p.m. (ET)
Reed Arena (12,989) in College Station, Texas
TV: SEC Network Plus/ESPN3 with Will Johnson (Play-by-Play) and John Thornton (Color)
Radio: ESPN1530 (1530 AM) with Jim Kelch (Play-by-Play) and Steve Moeller (Color)
Stats: Live Stats
 
Fast Break Points
• NKU dropped to 7-4 on the season after falling in the final minute at UMBC, 76-75.
• The Norse only forced a season-low nine turnovers against UMBC, half its average entering the contest.
• Northern Kentucky plays at No. 9/9 Texas A&M on Tuesday, its first ranked opponent of the season. Kentucky was ranked No. 5/6 headed into the 2017 NCAA Tournament last year.
• Northern Kentucky leads the nation in 2-point field goal percent (62.3).
• NKU is averaging 18.3 assists per game, a mark that ranks 18th in the nation. It also only commits 12.6 turnovers an outing, which ranks 99th nationally. Combining those two marks results in an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.45, the 24th best in the country.
• Not only are the Norse efficient offensively in those two areas, they are equally as impressive defensively in them. NKU forces the 30th-most turnovers per game in the nation (17.3) and allows teams to distribute just 10.4 assists per game.
• The 2017-18 season opened with NKU ranked No. 127 in KenPom's ratings, a stark contrast from one season ago when the Norse opened the year at No. 277. Through games played Dec. 17, NKU sits at 89th, which is tops in the Horizon League.
• The Norse are ranked No. 14 in the CollegeInsider.Com Mid-Major Top-25 Poll and are receiving votes in the Mid-Major Madness Power Rankings.
• NKU is one of 16 teams in the country to return at least 70 percent of its production in points (77), rebounds (84) and assists (84).
• F Carson Williams is converting 71.1 percent of his field-goal attempts (69-of-97), a mark that ranks 6th in the country. He is also 4-of-6 from three this year and averaging 15.5 ppg.
• F Drew McDonald became NKU's 26th member of the 1,000-point club versus Morehead State. He leads NKU in scoring (16.1 ppg) and rebounding (7.3 rpg).
• Williams and McDonald have each reached the 20-point plateau for NKU in the last two games. It's the first time the same two Norse have scored at least 20 points in the back-to-back games since McDonald and Holland did so against Miami (Ohio) and NC Central in November 2016.
• G Lavone Holland II is the consummate point guard - scores when needed (14.0 ppg), sets the table for his teammates (5.0 apg) and takes care of the ball (2.2 turnovers per game). His 2.29 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks 100th in the country.
• F Jordan Garnett has twice scored a career-high 15 points this season, James Madison and Memphis, and is averaging a career-best 7.7 ppg.
 
Last Time Out
McDonald and Holland had potential game-winning shots rim out in the final 44-seconds of the game, as NKU dropped a heartbreaking 76-75 decision at UMBC. The Retrievers' Jairus Lyles tallied a game-high 31 points, including the team's final 11 points over the last 6:06 of the game. NKU outshot UMBC, 48.2-41.7 percent, but UMBC outpaced the Norse 13-8 in points off turnovers and 16-12 at the charity stripe.
 
McDonald notched his third double-double of the season with 24 points and 11 rebounds. He teamed with Williams to eclipse the 20-point plateau. Williams poured in 21 points behind 8-of-11 shooting. Holland chipped in with 15 points and distributed six assists, while only committing two turnovers. Holland and Williams both also corralled five boards.
 
Scouting TAMU
The Aggies enter was one of the nation's top-10 teams, ranking No. 9 in both the USA TODAY Coaches and Association Press polls. Texas A&M also enters ranked 10th in the RPI and 4th in KenPom. In the national statistical rankings, A&M is among the leaders in defensive rebounds (1st), total rebounds per game (3rd), 3-point field goal defense (2nd), field-goal percentage defense (3rd), assists per game (6th) and blocked shots per game (7th).
 
Four Aggies are averaging double-figures, led by D.J. Hogg who comes in averaging 15.7 points per game thanks to 54.1 percent shooting from three (5th best in the nation). Tyler Davis (13.7), Admon Gilder (12.7) and Duane Wilson (10.9) also average double-digits. And, Texas A&M also has projected NBA Lottery Pick Robert Williams (6th SI.com) on its roster. Williams is averaging 8.0 points and 10.4 rebounds per game, but has only played in seven of the team's 10 games, missing the first two as well as the most recent contest versus Savannah State.
 
Series Stuff
This marks the first-ever meeting between the two schools and is the final of six first-time opponents this year for NKU. The Norse have gone 2-3 in those games thus far, defeating Iona and James Madison, but falling to Memphis, Vermont and UMBC.