HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Nineteen-straight points in the first half, coupled with Drew McDonald's third-straight double-double, ushered in the Horizon League schedule for the Northern Kentucky men's basketball team with a 77-59 victory over IUPUI. The Norse improve to 8-5 on the season and 1-0 in league play, while the Jaguars slip to 3-9 overall (0-1 Horizon League).
 
STATS LEADERS

• Drew McDonald had a double-double with 27 points and 10 rebounds.
• Lavone Holland II added five points, but set the table with eight assists and zero turnovers. He added seven rebounds.
• Carson Williams provided NKU with its second scorer in double figures with 11 points.

 
TURNING POINT

• NKU's 19-0 run over a span of 8:46 in the opening half gave Northern Kentucky all the momentum headed into intermission. The Norse never looked back.

 
FIRST-HALF SUMMARY

• After facing a nine-point deficit with 8:50 left in the first half, Northern Kentucky rode stifling defense that held IUPUI scoreless until 3.7 seconds remained in the stanza. The Norse scored 19-straight.
• McDonald paced NKU with 10 points and seven rebounds.
• The Norse converted 48 percent (13-of-27) of their shots, compared to just 26 percent (8-of-31) for the Jaguars.

 
SECOND-HALF SUMMARY

• The Norse shot a blistering 67 percent (18-of-27) in the second half and held IUPUI to just 42 percent (13-of-31).
• IUPUI scored the first basket of the second half on a three, but NKU responded with six-straight to take its first double-figure lead at 12.
• The Norse extended their lead to 13 before five-straight from the Jaguars cut the margin to single digits. 
• Moments later, McDonald ignited an 8-0 Norse run and Northern Kentucky kept the margin at double figures for the rest of the game.

 
GAME NOTES

• Northern Kentucky won the battle of the boards, 38-31, and outscored IUPUI 38-26 in the paint.
• The Norse were right at their season average for assists, dishing out 18 in the contest. In addition to Holland's eight, McDonald and Mason Faulkner added three each.
• McDonald started 1-for-6 and finished 11-for-16, making 10 shots in a row to close the game. His last miss came with 11:45 remaining in the first half.
• McDonald has now registered a double-double in three-straight games. He has five on the season and 21 for his career. 
• Holland entered the game with 62 assists and a 2.38 assist-to-turnover ratio. Thanks to his eight assists and zero turnovers, the ratio jumped to 2.69.
• Dantez Walton finished the game with seven points, six rebounds and a career-high three blocked shots.
• Williams, who entered the game seventh in the nation in field-goal percentage, went 4-for-5.

 
NEXT UP

• NKU returns to the hardwood Saturday, Dec. 30, when UIC comes to Highland Heights and BB&T Arena for a Horizon League matchup.