HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky men's basketball hosts Eastern Michigan in a 7 p.m. contest at BB&T Arena on Thursday, Nov. 18. The game is part of four-straight at home for the Norse to open the 2021-22 season.
 
Game Information
Northern Kentucky Norse (1-1 Overall, 0-0 Horizon League)
Eastern Michigan Eagles (1-1 Overall, 0-0 MAC)
Thursday, Nov. 18 – 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 2
 
Game Promotions
• Thursday is Kenton County Night presented by Mike's Car Wash, where residents of Kenton 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.
 
Fast Break Points 
• NKU sits at 1-1 overall after falling to UNC Greensboro in overtime.
• In the national statistical rankings, NKU is 12th in made threes per game (12.5), 27th in blocks per game (6.0), 40th in steals per game (10.5), 43rd in assists per game (18.0), and 46th in fouls per game (14.0).
• 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 109-51 (.681), 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 surpassed 1,000-career points with a career-high-tying 28 points versus UNCG thanks to a career-high six threes. He is NKU's 30th member of the 1,000 point club.
• 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 has made 80 percent (8-of-10) his shots so far this year and is averaging 10.5 ppg.
• F Adrian Nelson, a Horizon League All-Academic honoree that sports a 3.42 GPA in Organizational Leadership, ranks 44th in the country in rebounding (10.0 rpg).
• G Sam Vinson is already making an impact just two games into his career, as the freshman point guard has started both games and current ranks 31st in the country in steals (3.00 spg) and 41st in assists (5.50 apg).
• G Trey Robinson has been equally disruptive, joining Vinson at No. 31 in the country with 3.00 spg.
• F David Böhm contributed a career-high five assists versus Wheeling.
• AC Eric Haut will have a reunion of sorts against his former coach. EMU HC Stan Heath was Haut's coach at Kent State in 2002, leading Haut and the Golden Flashes to the NCAA Elite Eight.
 
Last Time Out
A career night from Faulkner wasn't quite enough as NKU dropped a one-point overtime decision to UNC Greensboro, 70-69. Faulkner poured in a career-high-tying 28 points and buried a career-high six threes to not only lead the Norse in scoring, but to also eclipse 1,000 career points. Warrick (14) and Langdon (10) also reached double figures, while Sam Vinson did a little bit of everything for the Norse with five points, five rebounds, seven assists, three steals and two blocks. Despite 11 rebounds from Adrian Nelson, NKU lost the rebound battle, 46-35, and it proved costly as four of UNCG's six overtime points were second chance.
 
Scouting Eastern Michigan
Eastern Michigan enters at 1-1 on the season, but its lone loss came at an Indiana team that is receiving votes in the current AP poll. The trio of Monty Scott, Noah Farrakhan and Bryce McBride each averaged 17.5 points per game, while Colin Golson Jr. contributes 12.5 ppg and leads the team in rebounding at 7.5 rpg.
 
Series Stuff
This will be the first meeting between Northern Kentucky and Eastern Michigan. There are five first-time opponents on NKU's schedule this year. In addition to EMU, the Norse play Wheeling (W, 82-54), DePaul, Canisius and Allice Lloyd for the first time ever.