HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The NCAA Tournament has arrived and the Northern Kentucky men's basketball team is set to square off against Texas Tech on Friday, March 22, in first round action in Tulsa, Oklahoma. NKU, which won both the Horizon League regular-season championship and league tournament, is making its second appearance in the NCAA Tournament in the last three years.
 
Game Information
No. 14 Northern Kentucky University Norse (26-8 Overall, 13-5 Horizon League)
No. 3 Texas Tech University Red Raiders (26-6 Overall, 14-4 Big 12)
Friday, March 22 – 1:30 p.m. (ET) | 12:30 CT
TV: TNT with Brad Nessler (PxP), Steve Lavin (Color), Jim Jackson (Color) and Evan Washburn (Sideline)
Watch Digitally: March Madness Live
Radio: ESPN1530 with Jim Kelch (PxP) and Steve Moeller (Color)
Stats: Live Stats
 
How to Purchase Tickets
Northern Kentucky has a small allotment of tickets available in the Norse fan section. Tickets are $100 each and are available on a first-come, first-serve basis by filling out this form before 10 a.m. ET on Wednesday, March 20.
 
Tickets can also be purchased through the NCAA Ticket Purchasing site or through secondary vendors such as StubHub, Vivid Seats, Etc.
 
March Madness Central
Want more information on fan gatherings in Tulsa, Oklahoma, or watch parties in Northern Kentucky? Visit NKUNorse.com/MarchMadnessCentral.
 
Fast Break Points
• NKU jumped on top of Wright State early and held the Raiders at bay by double-figures from the 14:50 mark of the first half for all but one possession over the remainder of the game en route to claiming a 77-66 win and the Horizon League Tournament crown.
• NKU earned its second trip to the NCAA Tournament in the last three years and faces No. 3 Texas Tech in the first round of the West Region.
• NKU is 0-1 all-time against Texas Tech, dropping a 75-69 decision in Lubbock, Texas, in the Norse's first season as DI members (2012-13).
• With a DI-era record 26 wins, NKU has secured a third-straight 20-win season for the first time in the DI era and just the third time in program history.
• NKU is averaging 17.1 assists per game, No. 10 in the nation. The Norse also rank No. 7 in total assists with 581 and have 10 games where they've handed out at least 20 dimes.
• NKU's 62.1 assist rate (assists per field-goals made percentage) ranks No. 5 in the country.
• The Norse also rank No. 34 nationally in 3-point defense, holding opponents to just 31.3 percent.
• Since the start of the 2016-17 season, NKU is a combined 72-29, 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.
• F Drew McDonald was named the #HLMBB Tournament MVP after averaging 16.7 points, 8.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game while leading NKU to its second tournament title in the last three years.
• McDonald is the #HLMBB Player of the Year and the 16th player in league history to earn three first team all-league honors. He leads NKU in scoring (19.1 ppg) and rebounding (9.5 rpg).
• McDonald is NKU's all-time leading scorer (2,061) and rebounder (1,075), and is one of five active players in Division I basketball with at least 2,000 career points and 1,000 career boards. He is tied-seventh among active players with 48 career double-doubles.
• G Jalen Tate collected his second-straight Horizon League All Defensive Team nod.
• Tate 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 is averaging 14.0 points behind 55.5 percent (157-of-283) shooting, which ranks 44th nationally.
• G Tyler Sharpe is second in scoring for NKU, pouring in 14.1 points per game and, in 25 of the team's 34 games, has hit at least two threes. His 86 made threes on the season rank 79th nationally.
• Sharpe joined McDonald and Tate on the all-tournament team, averaging 15.3 points and 3.7 rebounds across the three games
• F Dantez Walton is averaging 11.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 2.7 assists. In his first two seasons as a Norse (61 games), he posted nine combined double-figure scoring games. He has 22 double-digit scoring outputs in 34 games this 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.
• Graduate transfer G Zaynah Robinson had his best game as a Norse in the #HLMBB Championship game, converting 6-of-7 field goals, including all three treys, en route to 15 points.
• C Chris Vogt has averaged 8.6 points behind 65.5 percent (19-of-29) shooting, while also contributing 4.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks, in the last five games.
 
Last Time Out
Wright State scored the first basket of the game, but Northern Kentucky answered with a 3-point bucket just 15 seconds later. The Norse never trailed again, using runs of eight and seven points over the next four minutes to assume a double-digit lead, which was only relinquished by a Raider free throw on the first possession of the second half. Five Norse poured in double digits, led by an all-around effort from Tate, who posted 17 points, five rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a steal without committing a turnover. Walton registered his first career double-double with 15 points and career-high 14 caroms. Robinson converted 6-of-7 field goal attempts, including all three from 3-point range, en route to 15 points. McDonald, who was tabbed MVP, added 13 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Sharpe contributed 11 points as the Norse converted 50.9 percent (29-of-57) from the field and 57.1 percent (12-of-21) from three. NKU's defense limited WSU to 37.5 percent (21-of-56) from the floor and 29.2 percent (7-of-24) from three. The Norse outrebounded the Raiders, 38-35, and led in both points in the paint (30-24) and fast-break points (11-6).
 
Scouting Texas Tech
Texas Tech shared the Big 12 regular-season title with Kansas State at 14-4, as the two programs dethroned Kansas and ended the Jayhawks' streak of 14-consecutive league titles. The Red Raiders finished the season 26-6 overall and ranked No. 7 in the AP Top 25 and No. 10 in the Coaches Poll. TTU boasts the nation's fourth-best scoring defense, holding opponents to just 59.3 points per game thanks to the second-best field-goal percentage defense (36.8 percent).
 
Big 12 Player of the Year Jarrett Culver converts 48.5 percent of his field-goal attempts and scores a team-leading 18.5 points per game. He also adds a team-high 6.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. Davide Moretti adds 11.6 ppg, while Matt Mooney contributes 10.9. TTU scores at a 73.1 ppg clip.
 
Series Stuff
This marks the second time the two teams have met on the hardwood. Texas Tech claimed a 75-69 win in Lubbock, Texas, on Dec. 4, 2012, which came during NKU's inaugural season as NCAA Division I members (2012-13).
 
Postseason History
The Northern Kentucky University men's basketball team added to a storied history in the postseason with its first appearance in the NCAA Division I Championship in 2016-17 and continues to build with its second appearance in three years. In their 48-year history, the Norse have now made the postseason 18 times, including 13 as an NCAA DII member and two in the NAIA, and hold an 18-18 all-time record. NKU secured consecutive runner-up finishes in the 1996 and 1997 NCAA Division II Championship.
 
Season          Finish
2018-19         NCAA DI
2017-18         NIT First Rd.
2016-17         NCAA DI First Rd.
2011-12         NCAA DII First Rd.
2010-11         NCAA DII Second Rd.
2008-09         NCAA DII First Rd.
2007-08         NCAA DII Second Rd.
2006-07         NCAA DII Grt. Lakes Runner-Up
2002-03         NCAA DII Grt. Lakes Reg. 1st Rd.
2000-01         NCAA DII Grt. Lakes Runner-Up
1999-00         NCAA DII Grt. Lakes 2nd Rd.
1997-98         NCAA DII Grt. Lakes 2nd Rd.
1996-97         NCAA DII National Runner-Up
1995-96         NCAA DII National Runner-Up
1994-95         NCAA DII Grt. Lakes 2nd Rd.
1983-84         NAIA District 32 1st Rd.
1982-83         NAIA District 32 2nd Rd.
1977-78         NCAA DII Grt. Lakes 2nd Rd.