HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University men's basketball team earned its 20th win of the season on Friday, defeating UIC, 90-82, at BB&T Arena. With the win, NKU can finish no worse than fourth in the Horizon League.
 
NKU now sits at 20-10 overall and 11-6 in the Horizon League. The Flames dip to 14-16 overall and 7-10 in the League.
 
STATS LEADERS

• Drew McDonald led four players in double figures. The sophomore netted 27 points in his 32 minutes played and was one rebound shy of a double-double. All nine of his boards came on the defensive end.
• McDonald shot 10-for-17 from the field, including 2-of-4 from three and a perfect 5-for-5 showing at the line.
• Lavone Holland II went 6-for-10 with a pair of triples for 19 total points. He dished out six assists and pulled down a trio of rebounds.
• Cole Murray followed with 16 points after going 4-for-7 from three. Murray added three assists and four rebounds.
• Mason Faulkner rounded out NKU's double-figure scorers with 13 points.

TURNING POINT

• With the game locked in an 80-80 tie, Holland sank a pair of free throws at the 1:17 mark following an intentional foul. He sparked a 10-2 Norse run to seal the victory.
• The Norse outscored UIC, 17-8, across the final four minutes. Twelve of NKU's final 17 points came from the charity stripe.

FIRST-HALF SUMMARY

• NKU trailed 37-36 at the break despite 12 points from McDonald in the frame.
• After the Flames built as much as a nine-point lead, the Norse kept battling and used Murray's three at the 4:58 mark to take their first lead, 31-29.
• The Norse shot just 42 percent compared to 52 for the Flames, but converted 13 UIC turnovers in 11 points.
• Holland added nine points and Faulkner tallied eight. All of Faulkner's eight first-half points came uninterrupted within a two minute span.

SECOND-HALF SUMMARY

• NKU out-scored UIC in the second half, 54-45.
• The second half saw 17 lead changes and eight ties as the teams traded buckets to open the period.
• Neither squad led by more than two points between the 13:54 mark and 3:11 mark.
• A pair of McDonald free throws pushed NKU ahead by four, 78-74, with 3:11 to play as all but two of Northern Kentucky's final points came from the free-throw line.
• UIC would tie the game at the 2:16 and 1:29 marks before NKU would ride a 10-2 run to close the game.

GAME NOTES

• Murray now has 900 career points, putting him in 32nd all-time at NKU.
• Friday's game was the first time NKU has scored 90 points since a 97-73 win over Brescia on Dec. 21, 2016.
• In the last two games, Holland has posted 38 points and 12 assists.
• McDonald has scored double figures in 42 of the last 51 games dating back to last season. He has 45 points over the last two contests.
• The Norse improve to 11-2 at home this year as they have won five-straight at BB&T Arena.
• NKU is 11-2 when at least four players score in double figures.
• Holland has posted at least five assists in 13 of NKU's 30 games, totaling 116 on the season.

NEXT UP

• Cole Murray, Matt Rosenwinkel and Dean Danos will be honored prior to Northern Kentucky's final regular-season game on Sunday at 1 p.m. (ET) versus Valparaiso. The game is part of a doubleheader with the Norse women's team, which hosts Green Bay in a 3:30 p.m. (ET) start.