HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky men's basketball team defeated Oakland in a nail bitter, 73-70, at BB&T arena to lead off Homecoming Week. NKU is now 17-7 on the year and claims a 9-3 Horizon League record with the win. Oakland moves to 8-16 on the season and 3-8 in conference play.
 
STATS LEADERS

• Dantez Walton led the Norse in scoring with 23 points, going 9-of-19 (47.4 percent) from the floor and 5-of-11 (45.5 percent) from behind the arc. He also snagged 11 rebounds, earning his fifth-career double-double and fourth of the year.
• Trevon Faulkner also scored in double figures, racking in 21 points behind 7-of-15 (46.7 percent) shooting from the floor and 5-of-6 (83.3 percent) from the line.
• Tyler Sharpe added to the mix, putting up 15 points and contributing four assists.
• Adrian Nelson had 11 rebounds and five assists in the contest.

 
TURNING POINT
Trevon Faulkner snagged a steal in the final four seconds of the game and was sent to the free throw line where he sank two to secure the win for the Norse.
 
FIRST HALF SUMMARY

• The Norse got off to a slow start, but Faulkner turned it around with the first Norse points of the matchup, coming from behind the arc at the 15:41 mark. Sharpe then converted an and-one attempt on their next possession to put the Norse within one point of Oakland, 6-7.
• NKU kept racking up points, as well as laying it on Oakland defensively, going on a 22-6 run. Walton put up five points early in the run after two-consecutive offensive rebounds by the Norse.
• After a lay-up by Faulkner with 8:13 to go in the half, Oakland went on a 13-3 run to give them a one-point lead at 28-27.
• Late in the half, both teams locked it in offensively as there were six lead changes in the last 2:30 of the half. Jalen Tate stole the final lead at the buzzer to send the Norse into the locker room leading 33-32.
• The Norse also boasted a 4.5:1 assist-to-turnover ratio, registering 18 assists and season-low four turnovers.

 
SECOND HALF SUMMARY

• Oakland began the new half strong with six points interrupted by just a Tate free throw. The Norse answered back with four-consecutive baskets, two of which came from beyond the arc from Walton, giving NKU a 44-38 cushion.
• It did not take long for Oakland to bounce back, stealing the lead once again less than two minutes later off of a three-pointer.
• The score remained tight late into the half, with the final lead change occurring with 8:58 left in the game, when Tate found the bucket in the paint.
• Walton's outstanding first half resumed in the second half as he notched another 13 points, two of which came from a dunk that fueled the Norse and the crowd for the rest of the contest.
• Oakland was not giving up as it wrestled to gain control of the game, coming within one point of NKU four times in the final 8:58.
• Faulkner sealed the deal for the Norse, coming up with the steal on a potential go-ahead drive with 0:04 remaining in the game and then sinking two free throws for the final scoring of the night.

GAME NOTES

• With his 23 points, Walton moved up in the NKU all-time scoring records, to 37^th. The record was previously held by Cliff Clinton with 899 points.
• NKU remains undefeated (11-0) when outrebounding its opponent, outrebounding Oakland, 39-34. Offensively, the Norse outrebounded the Golden Grizzlies 23-11 to rack up 21 second-chance points on the night.
• The Norse finished the game with a 28-of-72 (38.9 percent) shooting clip, which saw significant improvement over the course of the game thanks to 15-for-31 (48.4 percent) shooting in the second half.
• Nelson had a career-high five assists.
• The last time two Norse scored 20 or more points was January 16 against Youngstown State when Sharp had 33 and Faulkner had 22.

 
UP NEXT
NKU returns to BB&T Arena on homecoming weekend for a Saturday night matchup with Detroit Mercy. Coverage will begin at 7:00 p.m. on ESPN+ and the game can also be heard on ESPN1530 (1530 AM).