HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky men's basketball team used exceptional defense to put away Milwaukee, 74-64, in its Horizon League opener at BB&T Arena on Saturday afternoon. The win moves the Norse to a 9-4 overall and 1-0 Horizon League record, while the Panthers move to 5-8 overall and 0-1 in the Horizon League.

STATS LEADERS

• After a 33-point performance against UNC Greensboro, Tyler Sharpe followed it up with another fantastic 31-point afternoon. The Norse senior shot 9-of-17 (53 percent) from the floor and 6-of-10 (60 percent) from beyond the arc.
• Trevon Faulkner had 16 points and eight rebounds in the contest.
• Adrian Nelson fell just shy of a double-double, scoring nine points and 12 rebounds

FIRST HALF SUMMARY

• Faulkner helped the Norse settle into the game with a difficult layup in the post after a two-minute start with no score by either side. Nelson followed that up with a basket before Faulkner willed in a three-point play off an and-one, putting NKU up, 7-0, with 15:17 to go.  
• Milwaukee went on a 7-0 run to tie the game up three minutes later, but the Norse regained the lead when Faulkner found Sharpe on the left corner of the arc for a three-pointer.
• Bryant Mocaby drew a charge beyond the arc with 10:52 to go, giving NKU possession and Sharpe the chance to dazzle the crowd with a floater on the other end. A couple of possessions after the make, Faulkner sank a tough 20-foot jumper, giving the Norse a 14-9 advantage.
• As the half closed out, NKU's offense picked up with the score knotted at 16 apiece. A Silas Adheke layup triggered a 9-0 run that saw a three-point make by Adham Eleeda and a made shot by Faulkner.
• The Norse went into the break with a 31-24 advantage. NKU forced Milwaukee to just 9-of-25 (36 percent) shooting and an even better mark from three-point range of 1-for-10 (10 percent)  
• Faulkner and Sharpe each had nine each after 20 minutes. Nelson wasn't far behind with six points along with his seven boards.

SECOND HALF SUMMARY

• Similar to the first half, the Norse took over three minutes to score, but their defense did its job and held the Panthers to just two points in that span. Bryson Langdon ended the dry spell with a three from the left side of the arc. Mocaby then swished a triple to keep NKU's cushion at 37-28 heading into the U-16 media timeout.
• Sharpe made it a three-point parade for NKU with a pair at the 14:38 and 13:28 marks respectively, keeping the Norse lead at nine.
• Nelson went to the line after making a layup and converted the three-point play with 8:06, leaving him just a point away from a double-double effort. Sharpe hit his fifth triple of the day thereafter as NKU's lead remained steady at 55-46.
• Milwaukee trimmed down the NKU advantage with 4:31 left to 57-53, but a layup from Faulkner and a couple makes from Sharpe at the charity stripe kept the Norse in the lead.
• Faulkner made it a ten-point gap when he reached the free-throw line with 3:12 to go, making both attempts.
• Sharpe finished off another incredible performance with a three with 1:15 left thanks to a  dish from Faulkner.
• NKU made all eight free-throw attempts in the final 32 seconds to secure the win.

GAME NOTES

• NKU held the Panthers to just a pair of three-pointers in the contest in 17 attempts (12 percent). The defensive clip from the beyond the arc is the best of NKU's season thus far.
• Nelson continiues to close out a solid December. His 12 rebounds in the contest ties his career-high from earlier this season. He had 12 against Miami (OH) on December 3. His nine points is his second best point-total this season, with his first coming against Eastern Kentucky on December 8.
• Sharpe equals Dantez Walton, who missed the contest to injury, with three 30-point games this season—all of which have came in the last three games.
• This is the fourth matchup this season where NKU disrupted passing lanes and held its opponents to under 10 assists (9).

UP NEXT

The Norse continue conference play against Green Bay at BB&T Arena on Monday night. They'll take on the Phoenix at 7:00 p.m. with coverage coming on ESPN+ and The Project (100.7/106.3 FM).