HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky men's basketball team is scheduled to square off against Arkansas on Saturday, Nov. 30. The Razorbacks are receiving votes in both the AP and Coaches Polls. Bud Walton Arena will host the event, which is schedule to tip off at 5 p.m. (ET)/4 p.m. (CT).
 
Game Information
Northern Kentucky University Norse (5-2 Overall, 0-0 Horizon League)
University of Arkansas (6-0 Overall, 0-0 SEC)
Saturday, Nov. 30 – 5:00 p.m. (ET)/4:00 p.m. (CT)
TV: SEC+
Radio: 55KRC with Jim Kelch (PxP) and Rick Broering (Color)
Stats: Live Stats
 
Fast Break Points
• NKU defeated Midway (Ky.) 86-56 on Monday night to move to 5-2 on the year.
• NKU travels to Arkansas for a Saturday evening tilt at Bud Walton Arena, marking the second SEC foe of the year for the Norse. They fell at Mizzou, 71-56, on Nov. 8.
• The Norse are in search of their first win against a Power 5 or BIG EAST program in the DI era, as they sit at 0-17. Including the DII era, NKU is 2-22 all-time versus teams currently in those six conferences. The two wins came against Xavier in the late 1970s.
• Since the start of the 2016-17 campaign, NKU is 44-6 (.880) at BB&T Arena. The Norse also sold a program-record 1,403 season tickets this year.
• The Norse have ripped off 69 steals so far, a total that ranks 15th in the nation. The team's 9.9 steals per game also rank 29th.
• Offensively, the Norse are letting it rain from long range this year. The team ranks 12th in the country in 3-point field-goal attempts (208th) and 16th in made threes (69).
• NKU is in the first year of the Darrin Horn era, as the Kentucky native is just the sixth head coach in the 49th season of the program. In his 10th year as a head coach, Horn has a career record of 176-113.
• NKU is coming off of its second trip to the NCAA Tournament in the last three years, where it fell 72-57 to No. 3 Texas Tech, which finished as the national runner-up.
• NKU has been the most-dominant team in the Horizon League over the last three seasons, amassing a 46-15 mark against league foes while winning four of the combined six league championships (regular season and tournament).
• With a DI-era record 26 wins last year, NKU secured a third-straight 20-win season for the first time in the DI era and just the third time in program history.
• Since the start of the 2016-17 season, NKU is a combined 77-32 (.706), has won the Horizon League regular season twice (2018, 2019) and league tourney twice (2017, 2019), and has played in both the NCAA Tournament (2017, 2019) and NIT (2018). No other team in DI history has registered this level of accomplishments in its first three years with active status.
• Over the last three games against DI competition, F Dantez Walton has averaged 25.0 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.
• A senior for the Norse, Walton is currently averaging 14.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per game.
• Walton registered a career-high 33 points and 10 rebounds for his second career double-double in the loss against Texas Southern. The effort earned him his first Horizon League Player of the Week nod.
• Walton's career night put him into the top-50 all-time scorers at NKU. He has 772 points to rank No. 47.
• G Trevon Faulkner is one of four returning starters for NKU this year. The sophomore guard is averaging 12.6 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.6 steals per game.
• Faulkner used 9-of-16 shooting to tally a career-best 24 points versus Texas Southern.
• W Karl Harris registered his first career double-double with 21 points and 10 boards versus Midway(Ky.).
• G Bryson Langdon has started the last four games for Northern Kentucky and averaged 6.0 assists in the outings.
• Langdon netted 17 points on 7-for-9 shooting against Midway.
• G Tyler Sharpe, a Preseason All-Horizon League Second-Team honoree, is averaging 12.9 points per game for the Norse.
• Though early in his third season as a Norse, Sharpe moved into the top-50 all-time scorers at NKU with his 18-point showing at Missouri. He now ranks 44th with 803 points as a Norse.
• F Silas Adheke hauled in 12 boards against Texas Southern and is averaging 5.9 rebounds per game.
 
Last Time Out
Harris registered his first career double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds, the latter of which is a new career mark for boards, as Northern Kentucky dispatched Midway on Monday night at BB&T Arena. Langdon contributed 17 points and five dimes, while Adham Eleeda dropped a career-best 12 points and corralled five boards. All 12 Norse that saw the court scored in the game that was dominated by NKU, which never trailed in the game.
 
Scouting Midway (Ky.)
Arkansas is receiving votes in both major polls, AP Top-25 and Coaches Poll, thanks to a perfect 6-0 mark. The Razorbacks are also a perfect 5-0 at Bud Walton Arena. Mason Jones leads a trio of player that provide the offensive firepower. He shoots nearly 51 percent (34-of-67) from the floor and averages 18.5 points per game. Jones is also a 92 percent (32-of-37) free-throw shooter. Isaiah Joe contributes 16.7 points per game and Jimmy Whitt, Jr. adds 12.7. Arkansas scores at a clip of 73.7 points per game, but hangs its hat on stifling defense. Opponents are making a meager 14.1 percent of 3-point attempts against the Razorbacks, an average that tops the country. They also only allow teams to score 50.0 points per game, which is third-best nationally, and the 21.3 turnovers forced each outing are fourth-best.
 
Series Stuff
Arkansas is one of eight first-time opponents for the Norse this season, joining Ball State, Coppin State, Illinois State, Midway, Mizzou, Texas Southern and UNC Greensboro. NKU dropped its decisions against Missouri (71-56) and Texas Southern (98-96 in double overtime), but defeated Coppin State (82-70) Ball State (59-57) and Midway (86-56) to sit at 3-2 against first-time opponents. NKU is 0-4 all-time against the SEC, while sitting at 2-22 against teams currently in the Power-5 and BIG EAST, but 0-17 versus those opponents in the DI era.