HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Four Norse scored in double figures as the Northern Kentucky University men's basketball team picked up a 72-66 win over Miami (Ohio) on Sunday evening. The Norse improve to 9-3 on the year, while the RedHawks fall to 6-5.  
 
STATS LEADERS

• McDonald scored 21 points and added 10 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the year.
• Zaynah Robinson recorded 19 points on the night and added two assists. Robinson scored 14 of his points in the second half.
• Tyler Sharpe contributed 15 points and a career-high seven rebounds.
• Dantez Walton had 10 points and eight rebounds.
• Paul Djoko added a career-high four assists.

 
TURNING POINT

• Seven-straight points for the Norse in a span of 1:11, broke a 55-all tie. The Norse preserved the victory going 6-of-6 from the free throw line in the final 41 seconds.

                                                                                                                                 
FIRST HALF SUMMARY

• Sharpe recorded a steal with 17:59 to play that led to McDonald's and-one on the other end to open up the Norse scoring.
• Sharpe sparked the action for the Norse again, as he drilled two three-pointers within a span of 1:04. He finished the period 3-of-6 behind the arc.
• The first half of action was tightly-contested, as it featured six ties and 10 lead changes. Miami took a 34-33 advantage into intermission.
• The Norse shot 13-of-31 (41.9 percent) on field goals.
• NKU held Miami to 10-of-27 (37.0 percent) shooting from the floor, but the RedHawks took advantage of the free-throw line, going 9-of-9.
• Sharpe led all scorers at the half with 11 points. Walton and McDonald both added seven points.
• The Norse won the rebounding battle with a 20-15 advantage.

 
SECOND HALF SUMMARY

• NKU opened up the second stanza with a 9-3 run to take a 42-37 lead.
• The score was tied 55-55 with 6:05 to play. NKU proceeded to go on a 7-0 run to take a 62-55 advantage.
• A Miami dunk cut the lead to two points, 66-64, with 1:08 to play, but the Norse went 6-of-6 from the free throw line down the stretch to preserve the victory.
• The Norse outscored the RedHawks 39-32 in the second half.
• Robinson came up big for the Norse as he scored 14 second-half points.
• NKU shot 15-of-30 (50 percent) on field goals.
• Miami went 10-of-24 (41.7 percent) from the floor.

 
GAME NOTES

• NKU shot 28-of-61 (45.9 percent) in the contest.
• The Norse defense was strong tonight, as the team held Miami to 20-of-51 (39.2 percent) shooting on the night, including 6-of-25 (24.0 percent) from three-point land. This is the eighth game of the season in which the Norse defense has held an opponent below 40 percent shooting.
• The RedHawks went 20-of-22 (90.9 percent) from the free throw line.
• The Norse had a 42-24 advantage in points in the paint. NKU also outrebounded Miami 35-30.
• The game featured nine ties and 13 lead changes.

 
NEXT UP

• The Norse host Northern Illinois on Thursday, Dec. 20. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at BB&T Arena, and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+. This is the second meeting of the season between the two teams. Northern Kentucky won 88-85, in Dekalb, Illinois, in a double-overtime thriller in just the second game of the season.