HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University men's basketball team opened the KEMI Northern Kentucky Basketball Classic with a 77-50 win over UNC Asheville on Friday evening, improving to 4-0 on the season. The Bulldogs drop to 1-2 on the season.
 
STATS LEADERS

• Jalen Tate led NKU with 16 points. He also added five assists and three rebounds.
• Drew McDonald notched the 36^th double-double of his career with 14 points and 14 rebounds.
• Dantez Walton added 10 points, eight rebounds and five assists.

 
TURNING POINT

• The Norse used a 19-0 run near the end of the second half to go ahead by 35 points and put the game well out of reach.

 
FIRST HALF SUMMARY

• NKU took a 9-2 lead into the first media timeout. The Norse defense pressured UNC Asheville early in the game, and NKU forced five turnovers in the first 3:43 of the half.
• The Norse went on an 11-0 run to take a 22-5 lead midway through the stanza. The run was capped by a three-pointer from Walton.
• NKU led by as much as 20 in the half, and took a 37-19 advantage into intermission.
• The Norse held UNC Asheville to 4-of-18 (22.2 percent) shooting in the half, including a 1-for-9 showing from beyond the 3-point arc (11.1 percent).
• NKU shot 11-of-32 (34.4 percent) from the floor during the stanza.
• The Norse forced 18 turnovers, which led to 19 points.
• NKU also had an 18-4 advantage in points in the paint.
• McDonald led all scorers with 10 points in the half, and Walton and Tate each added seven points.

 
SECOND HALF SUMMARY

• NKU maintained a double digit lead throughout the entire second half.
• The Norse went on a 19-0 run near the end of the game to extend the lead to 35 points.
• NKU won by a final score of 77-50.
• The Norse shot 16-of-30 (53.3 percent) on field goals during the half.
• UNC Asheville went 13-of-29 (44.8 percent) from the floor in the stanza.
• Tate scored nine of his points in the second half.

 
GAME NOTES

• McDonald's 36^th double-double of his career came in his 101^st game in an NKU uniform.
• NKU forced 27 turnovers in the contest, which was the most in a game for the team since they forced 33 miscues against Berea on Nov. 29, 2017. It was also the most turnovers forced against another Division I opponent. The previous high was 21 against Morehead State on Dec. 2, 2017.
• The Norse shot 27-of-62 (43.5 percent) in the contest.
• NKU held UNC Asheville to 17-of-47 (36.2 percent) shooting in the game.
• The Norse had a 32-13 advantage in points off of turnovers.
• NKU also outscored UNC Asheville 44-18 in the paint and secured a 42-27 rebound advantage resulting in 20 second-chance points, compared to three for the Bulldogs.

 
NEXT UP

• The Norse host Manhattan at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday in the the KEMI Northern Kentucky Basketball Classic. Manhattan defeated Coastal Carolina, 55-53, in the opening game of the tournament.