HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Postseason play continues for the Northern Kentucky men's basketball team which will square off against the third-seeded Oakland Golden Grizzlies in the semifinals of the 2021 Horizon League Championship. NKU and Oakland are meeting for the first time this season and the game will tip at 9:30 p.m., on Monday, March 8 in the Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis.
 
Game Information
Northern Kentucky University Norse (14-10 Overall, 11-7 Horizon League)
Oakland University Golden Grizzlies (11-17 Overall, 10-10 Horizon League)
Monday, March 8 – 9:30 p.m. (ET)
Indianapolis | Indiana Farmers Coliseum (6,800)
TV: ESPN2 with Jason Benetti (PxP) and Chris Spatola (Color)
Radio: ESPN1530 with Jim Kelch (PxP) and Rick Broering (Color)
Stats: Live Stats
 
Fast Break Points 
• NKU used David Böhm's buzzer-beating tip-in to down Detroit Mercy, 70-69, in the Horizon League Championship quarterfinals.
• NKU finished third in the Horizon League standings based on win percentage but earned the four-seed in the #HLMBB Tournament based on the seeding formula.
• No. 4 NKU plays No. 3 Oakland in the semifinals of the #HLMBB Tournament.
• NKU is 13-11 all-time against Oakland, including a 1-0 record in the #HLMBB Tournament. The Norse have also won four-straight in the series.
• Since the start of the 2017 #HLMBB Championship, NKU is 9-1 in the event with three titles.
• NKU has been on a tear of late, posting a 9-2 record in its last 11 games. The losses were in overtime on the road (Green Bay) and to regular-season co-champion Wright State.
• In the 11-game span, NKU has drastically cut down its turnovers. While averaging 12.6 turnovers per game on the season, it has only coughed the ball up an average of 10.2 times in those 10 games.
• Following a slow start to begin the season and a 31 percent 3-point conversation rate on the year, NKU has shot 37 percent (62-of-166) from three-point range since the start of February.
• According to KenPom, NKU ranks 24th in the country in offensive rebound percentage (34.5).
• NKU has been one of the most dominant teams in the Horizon League over the last four seasons, amassing a 73-27 (.730) mark against league foes while winning five of the combined nine league championships (two regular season and three tournament).
• Since the start of the 2016-17 season, NKU is a combined 109-49 (.694), 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. No other team in DI history has registered this level of accomplishments in its first four years of active status.
• G Marques Warrick, the Horizon League Freshman of the Year and all-freshman and all-league third team honoree, is averaging 16.1 ppg on the year.
• Warrick won seven Horizon League Freshman of the Week honors and has now registered 10 20-point performances on the season, including each of the last three games.
• Against league opposition, Warrick has elevated his scoring efforts to 17.6 ppg.
• G Trevon Faulkner earned a spot on the All-Horizon League Second Team.
• Faulkner has impacted the game in all facets with averages of 16.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 steals.
• Faulkner is 34th in the nation in made free throws (101) and his 37 steals rank 75th.
• G Bryson Langdon has hit his stride lately, averaging 13.8 ppg over the last 10 games.
• In NKU's last three games, Langdon has averaged 16.0 points and 6.3 assists per game.
• F Adrian Nelson, a Horizon League All-Academic honoree that sports a 3.46 GPA in Organizational Leadership, ranks 24th in the nation in offensive rebounds per game (3.33) and 23rd in total rebounds per game (9.8).
• In the last 15 games, Nelson has averaged 9.4 ppg while shooting 82 percent (62-of-76).
• F Böhm came through in the clutch for NKU against Detroit Mercy, scoring 11 points and nabbing a career-high eight rebounds. Four of the rebounds and two of the points came in the final four seconds as he sent NKU to the semifinals by virtue of his tip-in as time expired.
 
Last Time Out
Böhm's fourth tip-in attempt at the buzzer found the bottom of the net and Northern Kentucky picked up a dramatic 70-69 victory over Detroit Mercy in the Horizon League Championship quarterfinals. Böhm finished with 11 points and eight rebounds, four of which came in the final four seconds as he corralled NKU's original miss plus three of his own failed tip-in attempts before sending the last one through the net. Warrick poured in 20 points to lead NKU, while Langdon contributed 17 points and six assists. Faulkner narrowly missed a double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds.
 
Scouting Oakland
Oakland enters at 11-17 overall, but don't be fooled by the record. The Golden Grizzlies opened the season with 11-straight road or neutral games, five of which were against major programs. Oakland went 10-10 in league play and defeated Youngstown State in overtime of the #HLMBB Championship quarterfinals. Jalen Moore is the unquestioned star for Oakland, as he averages 17.9 points and leads the nation with 8.5 assists per game. But, teammate Rashad Williams averages 13.4 ppg and leads the nation in 3-point field goal attempts (251). Daniel Oladapo adds 13.0 ppg and 8.9 rpg.
 
Series Stuff
Northern Kentucky is 13-11 all-time versus Oakland and has won four-straight in the series. The two teams have met once before in the Horizon League Championship, which was a 64-63 last second win for the Norse in the semifinals of the 2019 tournament.