Five Norse reach double figures as @NKUNorseMBB wins season opener
 
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky men's basketball had a high-scoring season opener, defeating UC Clermont by 50 points, 105-55. The Norse start the season out at 1-0 and have now won the last four season openers.
 
 
Stats Leaders

• Five Norse scored in double figures, with Bryson Langdon leading the way with 20 points in his official NKU debut. The sophomore guard went 7-for-10 from the field, including 5-for-7 from long range.
• Tyler Sharpe was close behind Langdon with 19 points, along with five rebounds, three assists and two steals.
• Trevon Faulkner had 14 points, three rebounds, two steals and a pair of blocks.
• Also appearing in his first official NKU contest, graduate transfer Karl Harris posted 14 points, going 5-for-6 from the floor, and eight rebounds. He also contributed heavily on the defensive end with three steals and a block.
• Silas Adheke rounded out the top scorers with 13 points.
• Dantez Walton was just short of a double-double with nine points and nine rebounds. He also dished out three assists and nabbed two steals while not committing a turnover.

 
 
Turning Point

• Northern Kentucky broke a 10-10 tie with a 15-2 run that was capped by a Sharpe layup with 12:29 left in the first half. The lead never shrunk to single digits from there.

 
First Half Summary

• The Norse led by 25 at halftime with a score of 55-30.
• It took Adheke just 8:43 worth of playing time in the first half to establish a new career high in scoring, as the redshirt-junior poured in his 11^th point. His previous career mark was 10 points.
• NKU assisted on 11 of its 20 made baskets in the half and the team made 58.8 percent of its attempts.
• Sharpe led all scorers at intermission with 15 points.
• Walton tallied six points and seven boards to help Northern Kentucky outrebound UC Clermont, 24-13.

 
 
Second Half Summary

• The Cougars started the half with a five-point run, but the Norse quickly took control back,  answering with a 9-0 run and allowing the Cougars to score just 20 more points in the half.
• Langdon took off in the second stanza, going 4-for-8 from long range and 16 total points in the second half alone. Harris also had an impressive showing with nine points and eight rebounds in the half.
• Walk-on David Wassler played the final three minutes and scored the second basket of his NKU career with a put-back off an offensive rebound with 51-seconds left.

 
Game Notes

• Northern Kentucky last had five players in double figures on March 12, 2019, in the Horizon League Championship game against Wright State. That was also the last time that NKU shot better than 50.0 percent from the field. Tonight, the Norse went 39-of-73 for 53.4 percent.
• The last time that the Norse scored at least 100 points was on Nov. 6, 2018, when the Norse dropped 102 in a victory over Wilmington.
• NKU had a staunch advantage down low with a 54-28 rebounding advantage and a 56-24 edge regarding points in the paint.
• UC Clermont was allowed just five offensive rebounds. Conversely, the Norse had 20 offensive boards, turning those into 20 points.
• The Norse bench contributed heavily to the victory with 42 combined points.
• NKU caused 26 turnovers, 17 of which came by way of steals, and converted those into 31 points.

 
 
Next Up
Northern Kentucky heads to Columbia, Missouri, for a primetime showdown with Missouri on Friday, November 8. Tip-off is set for 8 p.m. ET and the game will be carried on SEC+.