DAYTON, Ohio – Northern Kentucky and Wright State renew their rivalry at noon Sunday at the Nutter Center, where the Norse have the chance to complete a season sweep of the Raiders. NKU defeated Wright State 73-63 in a Jan. 25 clash at BB&T Arena.
 
While Wright State is coming off a Friday loss at Milwaukee, NKU enters the outing with eight wins in its last nine games including two in a row on the road.
 
Game Information
Northern Kentucky Norse (14-10, 10-5 Horizon League)
Wright State Raiders (15-10, 12-4 Horizon League)
Sunday, Feb. 13 | 12 p.m. (ET)
Dayton, Ohio | Ervin J. Nutter Center (10,400
TV: ESPN+
Radio: 55KRC
Stats: Live Stats
Digital Program: NKU Men's Basketball Weekly – Week 13
 
Fast Break Points
• NKU has waged an impressive start in 2022. After going 6-7 in November and December, the team has posted an 9-2 record thus far in January and February.
 
• NKU has shown multiple trends in its 14 wins this season. In those games, the team has held opponents to 61.4 points per game while out-rebounding them by 13.4 boards. The victories have been characterized by 9.4 steals, 45.7% shooting and 9.4 made 3-pointers.
 
• NKU has been an offensive rebounding juggernaut under Darrin Horn. The Norse were 117th nationally in offensive rebounding percentage (29.7) in 2019-20, Horn's first season at the helm. NKU ascended to No. 15 (34.9%) in 2020-21. Now, 24 games into 2021-22, the Norse rank 10th (36.4%) per KenPom.com. The payoff for attacking the offensive glass: NKU's 311 second-chance points this season. That's an average of 12.9 points a game.
 
• In the national statistical rankings, NKU is 14th in offensive rebounds per game (13.2), 14th in steals per game (9.4), 10th in total steals (225) and 35th in made threes per game (9.2).
 
• According to KenPom, NKU ranks 10th in offensive rebounding percentage (36.4%) and 14^th in defensive steal percentage (13.2%).
 
• NKU was picked to finish third in a tightly contested #HLMBB preseason poll.
 
• NKU is riding a streak of five straight seasons with a winning percentage, beginning with the 2016-17 team. NKU has won the Horizon League regular season twice (2018, 2019) and league tourney three times (2017, 2019, 2020). The Norse have qualified for either the NCAA Tournament (2017, 2019, 2020) or NIT (2018) every year except 2021.
 
• G Marques Warrick, the reigning Horizon League Freshman of the Year, is coming of a 24-point performance at Green Bay in which he made a career-high six 3-pointers.
 
• G Trevon Faulkner, a Preseason All-Horizon League Second Team selection, contributes a team-second 12.7 points. He has made at least one 3-pointer in 19 of his 23 games this season.
 
• G Sam Vinson has been named Nike Horizon League Men's Freshman of the Week six times. He ranks 17th nationally in total steals (51) and 30th in steals per game (2.1).
 
• F Adrian Nelson, a Horizon League All-Academic honoree, has 674 career rebounds. He ranks seventh all-time in Norse rebounding and is 12 away from tying No. 6 Tony Faehr with 686.
 
• F Chris Brandon recorded a second Norse double-double Feb. 9 at Milwaukee (17 pts, 11 reb). His 3.2 offensive rebounds per game rank first in the Horizon League and 27th nationally.
 
• G Bryson Langdon has averaged eight assists in the last two games. His assist-to-turnover ratio (2.5) is No. 2 in the Horizon League and 31st nationally.
 
Last Time Out
Marques Warrick scored 24 points behind a career-high six 3-pointers and Northern Kentucky completed a season sweep of Green Bay with a 71-62 victory, Friday at the Kress Center. The Norse, which also defeated the Phoenix Dec. 30 at BB&T Arena, led by as many as 18 points in the second meeting. The Norse shot 53.3% throughout, including 46.7% from 3-point range, and outscored Green Bay 23-6 in points off turnovers. Chris Brandon had a season-high three steals within the team's eight. Sam Vinson (14 points) and Bryson Langdon (11 points) helped propel NKU to a second win in as many games.
 
Scouting Wright State
Milwaukee defeated Wright State 60-57 Friday night in Wisconsin and snapped the Raiders' four-game winning streak. Tanner Holden leads Wright State in scoring (20.1 points per game), followed by Grant Basile (17.5 ppg) and Trey Calvin (14.2 ppg).  Holden tops the Horizon League in multiple categories, including total points (523), field goals (183), free throws attempted (180) and free throws made (145). Basile paces the conference in blocked shots per game (1.6) and total blocks (42).
 
Series Stuff
NKU has a 14-27 all-time record against the Raiders. NKU and Wright State played their first game this season Jan. 25, a 73-63 Norse win at BB&T Arena. In an outing featuring three ties and 10 lead changes, NKU's defense came up big late in the game, forcing the Raiders to miss seven of their last eight field goal attempts. Marques Warrick scored 23 points in the win.