PHOTOS
 
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky men's basketball program picked up its third straight win and improved to a perfect 2-0 in Horizon League play as the Norse knocked off visiting Robert Morris, 60-56 in a conference clash inside Truist Arena on Saturday evening.
 
In the victory that keeps NKU atop the Horizon standings, Trevon Faulkner set the school record with his 132nd career game played.
 
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Northern Kentucky – 60, Robert Morris – 56
LOCATION: Truist Arena – Highland Heights, Kentucky
RECORDS: Northern Kentucky 5-4 (2-0 HL), RMU 3-6 (1-1 HL)
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- The Norse had four student-athletes reach double-figures with Faulkner (14 points, five rebounds), Marques Warrick (13 points, two assists), Xavier Rhodes (12 points, three assists) and Sam Vinson (11 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals) all hitting the double-digit mark in points scored.
- Chris Brandon added five points to go with 10 rebounds, the sixth time this season he has finished a game with double-digit boards.
- Hubertas Pivorius (three points, two rebounds, one assist) and Imanuel Zorgvol (two points, three rebounds) also scored for NKU.
- While it won't show up in the box score, Zorgvol stepped up in a big way with Brandon fouling out with over five minutes left in the game. Zorgvol picked up his play on both ends of the floor as NKU closed out the victory.
- Overall, 11 different student-athletes touched the floor for Northern Kentucky, the most student-athletes that have appeared in the same game so far this season.
- NKU got 19 points off the bench, the second straight game NKU has recorded 17 or more points in the category.
- It was another back-and-forth affair for the Norse in a game that featured five ties and 11 lead changes.
- With the win, Northern Kentucky sits atop the Horizon League standings with Milwaukee and Cleveland State. All three programs are a perfect 2-0 in conference play.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Robert Morris started the game a little faster than the Norse did as the Colonials took a 30-23 lead into the half.
- It was a tale of two halves for the Norse. NKU started the second half on an 8-0 run to jump ahead 31-30 with 17:51 left in the game.
- RMU answered right back with a 11-5 run of its own to take a 41-36 lead with 12:28 remaining.
- The two sides continued to battle back-and-forth and NKU was able to retake the lead and hold a slight 57-56 advantage with 1:27 left in the contest.
- Up 58-56, NKU forced a RMU turnover with five seconds left to play. Two made free throws by the Norse and a missed heave at the end sealed the 60-56 victory for Northern Kentucky.
 
POST GAME PRESSER

 
HIGHLIGHTS

 
NEXT UP
Northern Kentucky will head west to take on Power 5 and Pac 12 foe Washington State in a mid-week battle on Wednesday, Dec. 7. Tip off is set for 9 PM ET inside Beasley Coliseum. NKU fans and supporters will be able to watch the contest on the Pac 12 Networks and listen to the game anywhere in the country on ESPN 1530.
 

FOLLOW NKU NORSE MEN'S BASKETBALL
Get in the game and follow Northern Kentucky's NCAA Division I college basketball team through @NKUNorseMBB on Twitter, @nkunorsembb on Instagram, nkunorsembb on Facebook and subscribe to the NKU Norse Youtube channel.