DETROIT – The Northern Kentucky University men's basketball team claimed the 2019 Horizon League Tournament Championship and clinched a spot in the NCAA Tournament by defeating Wright State on Tuesday evening, 77-66. Drew McDonald was named the tournament MVP and highlighted an all-tourney team that also featured Jalen Tate and Tyler Sharpe. The Norse improve to 26-8 on the year, while Wright State falls to 21-13.
 

STATS LEADERS

• Tate led the Norse with 17 points. He also added five rebounds and four assists.
• Dantez Walton recorded his first career double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds.
• Zaynah Robinson also had 15 points on 6-of-7 shooting, including 3-of-3 from behind the arc.
• McDonald finished with 13 points, eight rebounds and four assists.
• Sharpe was also in double figures with 11 points.

TURNING POINT

• Wright State made a free throw to begin the second half to cut the NKU lead to 44-35. McDonald then scored six-straight points to make the score 50-35, and the Norse led by double digits the rest of the way.

 
FIRST HALF SUMMARY

• After Wright State scored the first basket of the game, NKU went on an 8-0 run to take an 8-2 lead with 16:42 left in the half. Sharpe recorded the final five points of the run.
• NKU used a 7-0 run to extend its lead to 15-4 with 14:50 remaining.
• The Norse steadily built their lead to as much as 18 points and took a 44-34 lead into halftime.
• NKU shot 16-of-27 (59.3 percent) from the floor, including a blistering 7-of-10 (70 percent) on three-point attempts.
• Wright State went 12-of-27 (44.4 percent) on field goals, but just 4-of-13 (30.8 percent) on attempts from behind the arc.
• Tate led the Norse with 12 points in the half, and Robinson added 11 on 4-of-4 shooting, including 3-of-3 on three-pointers.
• Sharpe chipped in eight points, and Walton contributed seven points and six rebounds.

 
SECOND HALF SUMMARY

• McDonald scored six-straight points to put NKU ahead 50-35 with 17:58 to play.
• After a McDonald three-pointer, Robinson made a jumper to extend the NKU lead to 64-45 with 11:07 remaining.
• The Norse led by as much as 20 points and went on to win by a final score of 77-66.
• NKU shot 13-of-30 (43.3 percent) from the floor and 5-of-11 (45.5 percent) on three-point attempts.
• The Norse held Wright State to 9-of-29 (31.0 percent) shooting, including just 3-of-11 (27.3 percent) on attempts from behind the arc.
• McDonald had 11 points and six rebounds for the Norse in the second half, and Walton added eight points and eight rebounds.

GAME NOTES

• This is the second Horizon League Tournament Championship and NCAA Tournament berth for the Norse in the last three years.
• NKU had five players in double figures for the first time since Feb. 7, 2019, when the team faced Detroit Mercy.
• The Norse finished the game shooting 29-of-57 (50.9 percent) from the floor and 12-of-21 (57.1 percent) on three-pointers.
• Wright State went 21-of-56 (37.5 percent) and 7-of-24 (29.2 percent) on attempts from behind the arc.
• NKU only trailed for 15 seconds in the contest.

NEXT UP

• NKU advances to the NCAA Tournament. The Norse will find out their seed, opponent, and location on Sunday, March 17, when the NCAA Tournament selection show begins at 6 p.m. ET on CBS.