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RICHMOND, Ky. – Northern Kentucky University's men's basketball team battled back from a second-half deficit to force its second overtime game this season but lost to Eastern Kentucky, 81-68, Saturday at McBrayer Arena.
STATS LEADERS
- Marques Warrick scored 22 points (7-for-18) behind 5-of-5 free-throw shooting and added three rebounds and an assist.
- Bryson Langdon contributed a season-high 13 points (5-for-13) with five rebounds and three steals. He converted 2-of-6 perimeter shooting.
- Trevon Faulkner scored seven of his 11 points from the free-throw line.
- Adrian Nelson and Chris Brandon chipped in nine rebounds each.
TURNING POINT
- Warrick knotted the score at 66 with 4:25 left in overtime but the Colonels reeled off seven straight points for a lead they did not relinquish. EKU's 11-2 run over 3:30, paced by Cooper Robb (18 points), added to the Colonels' 17-4 OT edge.
FIRST HALF SUMMARY
- The Colonels started the game on a 9-1 spurt and denied NKU a field goal until the 16:40 mark when Warrick converted a layup. That basket launched a 7-0 Norse run.
- EKU missed six of seven field goal attempts in a 2:32 stretch and Hubie Pivorius buried a 3-pointer to ensure NKU's first lead. With an assist by Sam Vinson, Pivorius' triple gave the Norse an 13-11 edge with 11:54 left in the frame.
- Warrick scored eight of NKU's first 19 points behind 2-for-3 perimeter shooting. Langdon and Pivorius matched Warrick with a team-high eight points by halftime.
- Northern Kentucky held EKU scoreless for the last 3:08 of the stanza and limited the Colonels to 3-for-15 perimeter shooting. NKU outscored EKU 11-0 in points off turnovers.
SECOND HALF SUMMARY
- EKU scored eight straight points to regain the lead, 36-32. Although Faulkner delivered his first field goal of the night – a left-handed layup – the initial tear was part of a 13-2 EKU run that left the Norse battling from behind.
- NKU trailed by eight with 13:37 remaining but clawed back behind Warrick, who went coast-to-coast for a layup, and a Trey Robinson layup. The Norse inched within one, 58-57, on a Faulkner free throw with 5:12 left.
- Faulkner made two free throws with 2:05 to go to again bring NKU within one. Although EKU went more than four minutes without scoring, it extended its lead to 62-59 behind Devontae Blanton's two free throws with 47 seconds left.
- NKU scored five straight points to assume control. Faulkner hit a jumper, then stole the ball and found Warrick for a layup. Warrick, fouled by EKU, converted the ensuing and-one for the 64-62 NKU edge. Blanton knotted the score at 64 to ensure overtime.
OVERTIME SUMMARY
- Eastern Kentucky hit a jumper just seven seconds into overtime, but Warrick answered for the Norse.
- EKU then asserted control with its 11-2 run.
- The Norse struggled to score in overtime, converting just 1-of-7 (14%) compared to 5-of-6 (83 percent) shooting by the Colonels.
GAME NOTES
- Eastern Kentucky was held to just 23.5% perimeter shooting despite entering the game ranked first nationally in made 3-pointers this season (159), 3-point field goal attempts (431) and average made triples (13.2). Three days after hitting a program-best 25 treys against Midway, the Colonels were held to an 8-of-34 mark from long range.
- The Norse, ranked 21st nationally with 10 steals per game, nabbed 16 steals against the Colonels. NKU tied a school record with 21 steals in its prior game against Alice Lloyd, giving it an average of 18.5 steals its last two outings.
- NKU had 24 turnovers. EKU scored 23 points off the miscues.
UP NEXT
NKU (4-6) travels to Indiana (9-2) for a first-ever series meeting at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Bloomington. The Norse return to BB&T Arena for a five-game homestand in Horizon League play, beginning Dec. 30 against Green Bay at 7 p.m.
#NorseUp
