HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. –Northern Kentucky's men's basketball team played two Horizon League games in early December and now returns to league action with a five-game homestand at BB&T Arena. The Norse close out 2021 against Green Bay, Thursday at 7 p.m.
Game Information
Northern Kentucky Norse (4-7 Overall, 0-2 Horizon League)
Green Bay Phoenix (2-9 Overall, 1-1 Horizon League)
Thursday, Dec. 30 – 7 p.m. (ET)
Highland Heights, Ky. | BB&T Arena (8,427)
TV: ESPN+
Radio: ESPN1530
Stats: Live Stats
Digital Program:
NKU Men's Basketball Weekly – Week 7
Fast Break Points
• The Norse resume Horizon League play following the conclusion of their non-conference slate (4-5). NKU played league-mates Cleveland State and Purdue Fort Wayne on the road in early December and now delves into its conference schedule in earnest. NKU aims for its first Horizon League victory when it hosts Green Bay.
• The Norse have a quick turn-around after Green Bay. They host Milwaukee Jan. 1 at 2 p.m.
• In the national statistical rankings, NKU is ninth in steals (10.5 spg), 21st in made threes (10.3), 30th in offensive rebounds (13.1 orpg) and 22nd in total steals (116).
• According to KenPom, NKU ranks 17th with a 13.5% steal rate on defense and 26th in offensive rebound rate (35.1%).
• NKU returned 91% (1,626-of-1,784) of its scoring, 87% (757-of-872) of its rebounding and 85% (4,294-of-5,075) of its minutes from last season's team.
• NKU was picked to finish third in a tightly contested #HLMBB preseason poll that saw five teams receive a first-place vote.
• NKU finished third in last year's Horizon League standings based on win percentage, marking its sixth-straight Top 3 league finish.
• NKU has been one of the most dominant teams in the Horizon League over the last four seasons, amassing a 73-30 (.709) 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, and NKU is a combined 110-55 (.667), 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
Marques Warrick, the reigning Horizon League Freshman of the Year and All-Freshman and All-League Third Team honoree, has scored in double figures six times this season.
• 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's 2.5 made treys per game ranks second in the Horizon League. He's averaging a team-best 13.1 points.
• G
Sam Vinson has started all 11 games and earned three #HLMBB Freshman of the Week honors this season. Vinson is 13th nationally in steals per game (2.5) and 12th in total steals (27).
• F
Adrian Nelson, a Horizon League All-Academic honoree with a 3.42 GPA in Organizational Leadership, is shooting 63.6% (35-of-55). His 3.3 offensive boards per game rank 24th nationally.
• G
Hubertas Pivorius has converted 46.9% (23-for-49) of his 3-point attempts.
• G
Bryson Langdon dished out a season-high eight assists against Alice Lloyd. His assist-to-turnover ratio (1.65) ranks ninth in the Horizon League.
Last Time Out
A strong finish could not overcome a sputtering start in NKU's 79-61 loss to Indiana in Bloomington. The Norse trailed 24-5 early and played from behind throughout, despite a dynamic second half in which they outscored the Hoosiers 47-41 and shot 59.3%.
Trevon Faulkner picked up his fourth foul with 16:34 to play but scored all 22 of his points after halftime.
Scouting Green Bay
The Phoenix have lost four straight games by an average of 16.8 points, including back-to-back defeats by Power Five Conference teams Kansas State and Minnesota. Junior forward Emmanuel Ansong leads Green Bay in scoring (12.2 ppg) and rebounding (5.5 rpg). Coach Will Ryan, son of College Basketball Hall of Famer and former Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan, is in his second season.
#NorseUp
