HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky faces a tough road test on Friday, Feb. 16, when it tackles Wright State with first-place in the Horizon League standings on the line. The Norse and Raiders are 1-2 in the standings, respectively, and will square off in a nationally-televised game on ESPNU. Game time is set for 9:00 p.m. (ET).
 
Game Information
Northern Kentucky University Norse (19-7 Overall, 12-2 Horizon League)
Wright State University Raiders (19-8 Overall, 11-3 Horizon League)
Friday, Feb. 16 – 9:00 p.m. (ET)
Ervin J. Nutter Center (10,400) in Fairborn, Ohio
TV: ESPNU with Jordan Bernfield (Play-by-Play) and Brooke Weisbrod (Color)
Radio: ESPN1530 (1530 AM) with Jim Kelch (Play-by-Play) and Steve Moeller (Color)
Stats: Live Stats
 
Fast Break Points
• NKU won its fifth-straight game Saturday night in front of a raucous homecoming crowd at BB&T Arena with an 86-80 decision over Green Bay.
• NKU's win over Green Bay coupled with Wright State's loss to Milwaukee, put the Norse in sole possession of first place in the Horizon League. However, Friday night's game will go a long way in determining who has the inside track to finish first and earn the No. 1 seed in Motor City Madness.
• NKU is 10-22 all-time versus Wright State, which includes an 84-81 setback at BB&T Arena earlier this season.
• NKU is riding a five-game winning streak, its third streak of the season of at least four games.
• Dating back to the start of the 2016-17 season, and including the #HLMBB Championship, NKU has won 27 of its last 35 games (.771) against League opponents.
• Since navigating the transition period and earning active Division I status prior to the start of the 2016-17 season, NKU has posted a combined 43-18 record (.705).
• Northern Kentucky is 17th in the nation in 2-point field goal percent (57.0).
• NKU is averaging 17.0 assists per game, a mark that ranks 22nd in the nation. It also only commits 12.2 turnovers an outing, which ranks 88th nationally. Combining those two marks results in an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.40, the 25th-best in the country.
• NKU forces the 69th-most turnovers per game in the nation (14.8) and allows teams to distribute just 11.3 assists per game.
• NKU is 40th in the country in steals (7.6 spg), registering double-digit steals seven times this year.
• NKU's 3-point field goal defense ranks 30th in the nation at 31.5 percent.
• Through games played Feb. 14, NKU sits 88th on KenPom.com, which is tops in the Horizon League.
• The Norse are 19th in the CollegeInsider.Com Mid-Major Top-25 Poll and 22nd in the Mid-Major Madness Power Rankings.
• F Drew McDonald has been on an absolute tear in registering double-doubles. He has 11 in the last 16 games and 13 total on the year, 12th-most in the nation. The Horizon League Preseason Player of the Year leads NKU in scoring (16.9 ppg) and rebounding (9.2 rpg).
• G Lavone Holland II is the only player in the Horizon League to average double-digits in scoring (13.4 ppg) and at least four rebounds (4.3 rpg) and four assists (4.6 apg).
• F Carson Williams is converting 61.5 percent of his field-goal attempts (131-of-213), a mark that ranks 15th in the country. He is averaging 12.8 ppg.
• G Tyler Sharpe is averaging 9.4 ppg and is shooting 52 percent in League play. He has reached double-figures in five-straight games, averaging 13.6 ppg on 55 percent shooting over that time.
• G Mason Faulkner has reached double figures in three of the last six games and has 19 assists to just three turnovers during that time.
 
Last Time Out
Northern Kentucky University men's basketball defeated Green Bay on Saturday evening by a final score of 86-80 for its fifth-straight win. NKU led 72-71 with 5:16 to play in the game. A three-pointer by Sharpe and a layup by Holland gave NKU a 77-71 lead. The Norse then kept the Phoenix at bay the rest of the way. Sharpe paced the Norse offense with 19 points thanks to 6-for-10 shooting, including 5-for-9 from three. McDonald posted his 11th double-double in the last 16 games, notching 12 points and 15 boards. Holland finished with 17 points and five rebounds, while Garnett contributed 10 points, six assists and four caroms.
 
Scouting Wright State
Wright State stands at 19-8 overall and 11-3 in the Horizon League standings. After starting the conference slate 7-0, WSU has gone 4-3 in its last seven games. However, the Raiders enter as one of the top-2 defensive teams in the league. Wright State's adjusted defensive efficiency (points allowed per 100 possessions) on KenPom.com is 92.4 and they surrender just 65.7 ppg. Senior Grant Benzinger leads the team in scoring at 14.5 ppg. Freshman Loudon Love is second on the team in scoring (13.4 ppg), but leads the team and league in rebounding at 9.9 rpg.
 
Series Stuff
Northern Kentucky is just 10-22 in the all-time series, which includes an 84-81 defeat against Wright State at BB&T Arena earlier this season. Benzinger dropped 31 points on the Norse and Love recorded a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double. Holland paced NKU with 22 points and McDonald added 22 points and 10 boards.