HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky men's basketball team bests the Colonels from Eastern Kentucky, 76-57 on Sunday night at BB&T Arena. An initial close game resulted in the 19-point win for the Norse following a team effort with five men in double-figures in the scoring column.

STATS LEADERS

• Dantez Walton and Trevon Faulkner tied for most points on the night with 18 each. Walton's 7-for-11 (63.6 percent) and Faulkner's 6-of-12 (50.0 percent) from the floor elevated the Norse past the Colonels. Walton was one rebound shy of a double-double.
• Faulkner dished a game- and career-high seven assists.
• Bryson Langdon wasn't far behind with 14 points off 5-for-6 (83.3 percent) shooting, adding 2-of-3 (66.6 percent) from beyond the arc.
• Tyler Sharpe and Adrian Nelson joined the double-figure club with 10 points, allowing Nelson to tie his career high in the category.
• Adham Eleeda rounded out scoring for NKU with six points, all from three-point range.

TURNING POINT

• NKU finished the game with finesse as the team propelled past EKU on a 14-0 run beginning at the 5:17 mark in the second half. The Norse extended the run and closed the game on an 18-3 spurt.

FIRST HALF SUMMARY

• Eastern Kentucky jumped out to an early start thanks to 5-for-7 (71.4 percent) shooting from beyond the arc.
• The Norse responded to the Colonels lead at the 10:12 mark for the half with a layup by Faulkner that kick-started Norse scoring. The bucket began a 15-0 run by NKU that included a Sharpe three-pointer and a trio of points through an and-one opportunity, pushing NKU to a 24-21 lead. 
• The half ended in a fair battle with both teams headed into intermission with 35 points. NKU won the rebounding battle, 20-14, and shooting 11-of-24 (45.8 percent) from the field.
• Faulkner contributed 14 points for the Norse, tying EKU's Ty Taylor for leading scorer through the first half.

SECOND HALF SUMMARY

• A three-pointer by Langdon with 17:26 on the clock put NKU ahead by two, marking a permanent lead for the Norse for the remainder of the game.
• The Norse stretched to an 18-point lead with 2:02 remaining due to a 14-0 run. Langdon sparked the run with a three at the 5:17 mark. 
• NKU annihilated the field-goal stat line by shooting 17-of-24 (70.8 percent) in the second half.
• The Colonels were outscored by the Norse 41-22 in the second half.
• Northern Kentucky finished the game with a 19-point advantage. Nelson nabbed six quick points in the final three minutes of the game and Faulkner ended all scoring on the night, bringing his total to 18.

GAME NOTES

• Faulkner dished out a new career high in assists with seven for the game. He had six against IUPUI on December 28, 2018.
• Five Norse in double-figures isn't unfamiliar for the team. NKU had five players in double-figures on November 5, 2019 against UC Clermont.  
• NKU has been above 50 percent from in field goal percentage in back-to-back games. The Norse ended the game at 58.3 percent against EKU and 50.0 percent against Miami (OH).  
• Walton adds his sixth game in double-figures on the year.
• The Norse's second-half shooting percentage (70.8 percent) is the highest since December 10, 2017 when the team coincidentally defeated Eastern Kentucky, 91-63. NKU made 71.4 percent in the second half of that game as well.
• NKU topped EKU in the rebounding battle, 39-22. The last time the Norse dominated the stat this heavily against a DI opponent was last year against UIC on December 30, 2018, with a 46-27 advantage.

UP NEXT
NKU takes on the Redbirds of Illinois State on Sunday, December 15 in a 2 p.m. showing at BB&T Arena. The game will be broadcast on FOX Sports Ohio and FOXSports1360 (1360 AM).