HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The 2021-22 nonconference schedule continues for Northern Kentucky with a battle against reigning SOCON regular-season champion, conference tournament champion and 2021 NCAA Tournament participant UNC Greensboro on Friday, Nov. 12. The Norse welcome the Spartans to BB&T Arena for a 7 p.m. tip.
 
Game Information
Northern Kentucky Norse (1-0 Overall, 0-0 Horizon League)
UNC Greensboro Spartans (1-0 Overall, 0-0 SOCON)
Friday, Nov. 12 – 7:00 p.m. (ET)
Highland Heights, Ky. | BB&T Arena (8,427)
TV: ESPN+
Radio: The Project (100.7/106.3 FM)
Stats: Live Stats
Tickets: Purchase Now
Digital Program: NKU Men's Basketball Weekly – Week 1
 
Game Promotions
• Friday is Campbell County Night presented by Mike's Car Wash, where residents of Campbell County can purchase tickets for $11 and kids tickets (ages 3-17) for $9 at the Alice Sparks Box Office at BB&T Arena. Proof of residence is required.
• The contest is also part of NKU's Family 4 Pack. Four tickets and four winter headbands are just $44. Family 4 Pack tickets can be bought online through Ticketmaster or purchased at the box office.
• In honor of Veterans Day, all active and retired members of the military are able to get one free ticket with military ID. Tickets must be purchased at the box office.
• The first 500 students will receive a free t-shirt.
• Students can also enter for a chance to win two free tickets for the PLAYBOI CARTI: KING VAMP TOUR concert at BB&T Arena on Dec. 1.
 
Fast Break Points 
• NKU won its season-opening game versus Wheeling, 82-54.
• NKU returns 91 percent (1,626-of-1,784) of its scoring, 87 percent (757-of-872) of its rebounding and 85 percent (4,294-of-5,075) of its minutes from last season's team. NKU's returning points production is the 18th-most in the country.
• NKU was picked to finish third in a tightly contested #HLMBB preseason poll that saw five teams receive a first-place vote.
• According to KenPom, NKU ranked 15th in the country in offensive rebound percentage (34.9) last year and the Norse added help on the glass with F Chris Brandon, who averaged 5.9 rebounds per game at Detroit Mercy last year.
• NKU is the only Horizon League men's basketball program to reach at least the semifinals of the league tournament championship each of the last three seasons.
• NKU finished third in the Horizon League standings based on win percentage last year, marking its sixth-straight top-three league finish.
• NKU has been one of the most dominant teams in the Horizon League over the last four seasons, amassing a 73-28 (.723) mark against league foes while winning five of the combined 10 league championships (two regular season and three tournament).
• NKU is riding a streak of five-straight seasons with a winning percentage beginning with the 2016-17 team.
• Since the start of the 2016-17 season, NKU is a combined 109-50 (.686), has won the Horizon League regular season twice ('18, '19) and league tourney thrice ('17, '19, '20), and has qualified for either the NCAA Tournament ('17, '19, '20) or NIT ('18) every year except '21.
• G Trevon Faulkner earned a spot on the All-Horizon League Second Team last year and reprised the role on the Preseason All-Horizon League Second Team this year.
• Faulkner opened 2021-22 right where he left off last year, scoring 17 points against Wheeling.
• G Marques Warrick, the reigning Horizon League Freshman of the Year and all-freshman and all-league third team honoree, also adorns the Preseason All-Horizon League Second Team.
• Warrick won seven Horizon League Freshman of the Week honors and registered 10 20-point performances last year.
• G Bryson Langdon is coming off of a 2020-21 campaign in which he averaged career-highs in scoring at 10.7 points and assists at 4.0 assists per game. He went 5-of-5 for 11 points versus the Cardinals.
• F Adrian Nelson, a Horizon League All-Academic honoree that sports a 3.42 GPA in Organizational Leadership, and Brandon both grabbed nine boards in the win over Wheeling.
• F David Böhm and G Hubertas Pivorius picked up international playing experience this past summer. Böhm competed for the Czech Republic at the U20 FIBA Championships, winning the Brno pool/region title and earning MVP Honors after averaging 15 ppg, 6.6 rpg, & 2.0 apg. Pivorius averaged 8.4 points behind 40 percent 3-point shooting for Lithuania in the FIBA U19 World Cup.
• Pivorius and Brandon are part of six Norse newcomers this year, as G Sam Vinson, G Isaiah Mason, C Imanuel Zorgvol and F Seybian Sims also join the team.
• Pivorius was electric in his Norse debut, making 7-of-12 shots from the floor and 5-of-10 from three en route to a game-high 19 points in NKU's win over Wheeling.
 
Last Time Out
Pivorius had quite the debut with 19 points behind 7-of-12 shooting from the floor and 5-of-10 from three, as he led four Norse in double-figures in NKU's 82-54 win over Wheeling. Faulkner poured in 17, Trey Robinson added 13 and Langdon was a perfect 5-for-5 en route to 11 points. Northern Kentucky made 15 threes and had five highlight reel dunks as it shot 50 percent from the floor (31-of-62) and 39.5 percent (15-of-38) from long range.
 
Scouting UNC Greensboro
Reigning SOCON regular-season champion, league tournament champion and 2021 NCAA Tournament participant UNCG needed a herculean effort from De'Monte Buckingham to defeat N.C. A&T, 57-53. Buckingham poured in 28 points as the only Spartan in double-figures. Mohammed Abdulsalam contributed 11 points. Neither team shot well in the game, with UNCG making 37.5 percent (21-of-56) and N.C. A&T converting 32.2 percent (19-of-59).
 
Series Stuff
UNC Greensboro won the only previous meeting between the two schools when it defeated a depleted Norse squad, 67-50, in Greensboro in the 2019-20 season. The Norse were down starters Jalen Tate and Dantez Walton in that game due to injury.