HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky men's basketball team will play Eastern Kentucky, its third regional opponent in a row, in a Sunday evening showdown set to be broadcast locally on CW Cincinnati. Tip-off for the game is set for 6 p.m. at NKU's BB&T Arena.
 
In its previous two games, NKU played Morehead State (W, 86-49) and ETSU (L, 84-71).
 
Game Information
Northern Kentucky University Norse (6-3 Overall, 0-0 Horizon League)
Eastern Kentucky University Colonels (4-5 Overall, 0-0 OVC)
Sunday, Dec. 10 – 6:00 p.m. (ET)
BB&T Arena (9,400) in Highland Heights, Ky.
TV: CW Cincinnati or ESPN3 (Blacked out in Cincinnati Market)
Radio: FOXSports1360 (1360 AM) with Jim Kelch (Play-by-Play) and Steve Moeller (Color)
Stats: Live Stats
Tickets: Ticketmaster
 
Fast Break Points
• NKU dropped its nonconference rematch with ETSU, 84-71, in Johnson City, Tenn., Wednesday. Two big first-half runs from the Bucs, 15-0 and 20-5, ultimately sunk the Norse.
• NKU and EKU will be meeting in the Battle of the Bluegrass Intrastate Game presented by Visit Myrtle Beach. It marks the eighth all-time matchup with the Colonels leading 5-2.
• NKU is averaging 17.9 assists per game, a mark that ranks 29th in the nation. It also only commits 13.1 turnovers an outing, which ranks 129th. Combining those two marks results in an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.36, the 37th 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 16th-most turnovers per game in the nation (18.6) and allows teams to distribute just 9.8 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 Wednesday night, NKU sits at 101st, which is tops in the Horizon League.
• The Norse are ranked No. 10 in the CollegeInsider.Com Mid-Major Top-25 Poll and No. 21 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 68.4 percent of his field-goal attempts (52-of-76), a mark that ranks 9th in the country. He is also 4-of-6 from three this year and averaging 14.2 ppg.
• F Drew McDonald became NKU's 26th member of the 1,000-point club versus Morehead State. He leads NKU in scoring (14.4 ppg) and rebounding (6.7 rpg).
• G Lavone Holland II is the consummate point guard - score when needed (14.3 ppg), set the table for his teammates (5.0 apg) and take care of the ball (2.0 turnovers per game). His 2.5 assist-to-turnover ratio ranks 77th in the country.
• NKU's top three scorers are averaging nearly identical marks - McDonald (14.4 ppg), Holland (14.3) and Williams (14.2) - and each has led the team in scoring three times.
• F Jordan Garnett has twice scored a career-high 15 points this season, versus James Madison and at Memphis, and is averaging a career-best 9.0 points per game, which is more than double his career average (4.3 ppg).
• F Jeff Garrett is a rebound machine, pulling down 53 on the season. He is averaging 5.9 points and 5.9 rebounds a game.
 
How to Watch
The CW Cincinnati broadcasts on channel 12.2 and, with the use of an antenna, can be viewed by every home in the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati area. The CW Cincinnati is available on Spectrum Cable (channel 20 in OH / 25 in KY), Cincinnati Bell Fi-Optics (17) and DirecTV (25).
 
Outside the Cincinnati market, the game will be available on ESPN3.
 
Last Time Out
Northern Kentucky jumped out to a quick 9-7 lead early, but ETSU then ran off 15-straight points to pull out in front. NKU used a 14-4 spurt of its own to pull within three, 26-23, with eight minutes left in the first half. However, the Bucs closed the half outscoring the Norse 20-5 to take a commanding 18-point lead into intermission. NKU never seriously threatened in the second half and fell, 84-71. Williams led the Norse with 22 points behind 10-of-13 shooting. Holland (14) and McDonald (10) also reached double figures, but NKU was doomed after giving up 22 points off turnovers and allowing ETSU to shoot 59.6 percent from the floor.
 
Scouting Eastern Kentucky
EKU, which enters at 4-5 overall, is led by Nick Mayo, a 6-foot-9 forward that averages 18.1 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. Mayo is efficient, converting 56 percent of all field-goal attempts and 56 percent from long range. He is joined in double figures by Dedric Boyd (15.7) and DeAndre Dishman (11.4).
 
The Colonels average 73.2 points, but surrender 75. While two of the team's four wins are against non-DI opponents (Kentucky State, Asbury), two of its five losses have come on the road to Power-5 schools (Ole Miss, Oregon State).
 
Series Stuff
EKU leads the all-time series, 5-2, but the two teams haven't met in 25 years. The Colonels took the last meeting, 81-71, in December of the 1992-93 season. Northern Kentucky's last win in the series came on Jan. 4, 1983, in a 69-62 decision.