HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – UC Clermont will be welcomed to BB&T Arena on Tuesday, November 5, as the Northern Kentucky University men's basketball team lifts the lid on its 2019-20 season. A 7 p.m. tip is slated for the contest, with broadcasts available on ESPN3 the radio coming across the airwaves on The Project (100.7/106.3 FM).
 
Game Information
Northern Kentucky University Norse (26-9 Overall, 13-5 Horizon League in 2018-19)
University of Cincinnati – Clermont Cougars (0-1 Overall, USCAA)
Tuesday, Nov. 5 – 7:00 p.m. (ET)
TV: ESPN3 with Brady Laber (Px) and Brad Redford (Color)
Radio: The Project with Jim Kelch (PxP) and Steve Moeller (Color)
Stats: Live Stats
 
Purchase Tickets
Tickets can be purchased ahead of time through Ticketmaster or at the door upon arrival. Northern Kentucky will unveil banners for the 2019 Horizon League Regular-Season Championship, Horizon League Tournament Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance prior to tip.
 
Fast Break Points
• NKU opens the 2019-20 season with a matchup against local foe UC Clermont.
• The Norse are 10-0 all-time versus the Cougars, with the last meeting being a 107-53 decision during the 2014-15 season.
• Northern Kentucky defeated Transylvania, 71-45, in exhibition play on Oct. 30. NKU scored 31 points off of 22 turnovers in the contest.
• NKU ushers in the Darrin Horn era, as the Lexington, Kentucky, native takes over the reins as the sixth head coach in the 49th season of the program. Horn has a career record of 171-111 in nine years as a head coach.
• 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 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 72-30, 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.
• The Norse took a summer tour to the U.S. Virgin Islands this summer, going 3-0 against the UVI and BVI National Teams.
• G Jalen Tate collected his second-straight Horizon League All-Defensive Team nod last year and earned distinction as a preseason all-league first-team honoree this year.
• Tate also earned a spot on the #HLMBB All-Tournament Team after averaging 13.0 points, 3.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game, which included 17 points, five rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a steal in the title game.
• Tate averaged 13.7 points behind 53.9 percent (159-of-295) shooting, which ranked 54th nationally.
• Tate guided the Norse in their win over Transylvania with a game-best 22 points. F Dantez Walton joined him in double-figures with 13.
• G Tyler Sharpe was second in scoring for NKU last year, pouring in 14.4 points per game and, in 26 of the team's 35 games, hit at least two threes. His 90 made threes on the season ranked 70th nationally.
• Sharpe earned a spot on the Preseason All-Horizon League Second Team.
• Sharpe had arguably his best game of the season in the NCAA Tournament against eventual national runner-up Texas Tech. The sharpshooter poured in 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting.
• Walton averaged 11.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.8 assists. In his first two seasons as a Norse (61 games), he posted nine combined double-figure scoring games. He had 23 double-digit scoring outputs in 35 games last year, including a career-best 20 points at IUPUI.
• Walton registered his first career double-double with 15 points and a career-best 14 rebounds in the league championship game against Wright State.
• G Trevon Faulkner started the final 28 games last season, averaging 4.7 points per game on the year. He joins Tate, Sharpe and Walton as a returning starter.
 
Last Time Out
Northern Kentucky outscored Transylvania 24-4 over a span of 7:33 in the first half to grab a commanding 41-16 advantage. While the lead shrunk to as little as 15 early in the second half, the Norse pushed it back out to as many as 28 before securing a 71-45 victory. NKU's defense was stingy, allowing Transy to shoot just 36 percent (20-of-56) and forced 22 miscues, which the Norse converted into 31 points. Tate paced the offense with 22 points behind 7-for-10 shooting. Walton made 5-of-11 shots and scored 13 points.
 
Scouting UC Clermont
While Tuesday's contest marks the first of the year for NKU, it's the second matchup of the year for UC Clermont. The Cougars opened their season on Saturday at Thomas More, dropping the lopsided decision 107-62. Two Cougars reached double figures in the matchup. Greg Marsh shot 6-for-12 en route to 16 points, while Noah Pedelty made 6-of-10 shots and tallied 15 points. UC Clermont shot just 35 percent (25-of-71) in the game and allowed Thomas More to convert at a 62 percent (36-of-58) clip.
 
Series Stuff
Northern Kentucky is 10-0 all-time in competition against UC Clermont. The two teams last met during the 2014-15 campaign with the Norse pulling out the 107-53 decision.