Brought to you by Rebel Mettle Brewery, proud sponsor of Norse Men's Basketball.
 
 
MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – Northern Kentucky University's men's basketball team lost 74-64 to a hot-handed Robert Morris team that shot 51.9% in Saturday's Horizon League clash at the UPMC Events Center. Robert Morris (3-14, 1-7 Horizon League) won its first conference game and snapped a five-game skid while the Norse fell to 6-9 (2-4).
 
STATS LEADERS

• Marques Warrick led NKU with 21 points behind 10-of-12 free-throw shooting.
• Adrian Nelson finished the contest one rebound shy of a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds. The senior entered the game needing three rebounds to surpass George Smith for No. 10 on NKU's Career Rebounding list. Nelson now has 618 career boards and can pass No. 9 Terry Hairston (639) with 22 more.
• Chris Brandon nabbed nine rebounds, including six on the offensive glass.

TURNING POINT

• NKU mounted a 7-1 run to inch within three points (64-61) with 4:44 left. Robert Morris outscored NKU 10-3 the rest of the way.

FIRST HALF SUMMARY

• The Norse struggled to overcome a slow start on both ends of the court. The Colonials reeled off six straight points in the paint. The Norse missed six of their first seven field goal attempts and trailed 8-2 before Adrian Nelson got the team back on the board.
• Adrian Nelson grabbed his third rebound with 13:39 left in the first half to cement his place among NKU's Top 10 all-time rebounders.
• NKU was denied a field goal for nearly five minutes, scoring only two points on Marques Warrick free throws, and Robert Morris went on a 9-2 tear for a nine-point lead. Jake Evans ended the field goal drought with a 3-pointer at the 8:39 mark.
• Robert Morris led at halftime, 35-28, behind 59.1% shooting. Kahliel Spear paced all scorers with 13 points. Marques Warrick and Trey Robinson (six points each) led NKU.

SECOND HALF SUMMARY

• The Norse attacked Robert Morris and made up ground via Marques Warrick's five straight points, which brought them within two. The Colonials stretched their lead to eight before Adrian Nelson narrowed the disparity on a score via a Warrick assist.
• Marques Warrick converted two free throws to make it a four-point game with 12:18 left. Six of his first 13 points came from the free-throw line.
• After technical fouls on Trevon Faulkner (his fourth foul) and Brandon Stone (his third), Chris Brandon's jumper brought NKU within one possession with 11:42 left. Kam Farris answered with five straight points Robert Morris soon pulled away, 53-46.
• NKU mounted a 7-1 run, capped by a pair of Adrian Nelson free throws, to inch within three points with 4:44 left. Robert Morris' defense denied NKU from coming any closer.  

GAME NOTES

• NKU never led in a game in which it was out-rebounded 34-32. The Norse converted just 4-of-23 perimeter attempts (17.4%) throughout and went 1-for-14 beyond the arc in the second half. They were outscored 44-30 in the paint.
• The Norse scored 18 points off the Colonials' 14 turnovers and finished with seven steals.
• Kahliel Spear (21 points, 11 rebounds) was among three double-figure scorers for the Colonials. 

 
UP NEXT
NKU continues its four-game road swing at UIC on Thursday, Jan. 20. The Norse play the final game in that stretch at IUPUI on Saturday, Jan. 22.