HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky returns home for its final two regular-season games, starting with a rematch against Robert Morris at 7 p.m. Thursday at BB&T Arena.
 
Horizon League standings and conference tournament seeding are at stake in this final week of regular-season games, as the top four finishers will receive first-round byes and host quarterfinals. NKU is currently in third place. RMU is in 10^th.
 
NKU also will attempt to avenge a loss earlier this season to the Colonials. Robert Morris won their Jan. 15 game 74-64.
 
Game Information
Northern Kentucky Norse (16-11, 12-6 Horizon League)
Robert Morris Colonials  (7-21, 4-15 Horizon League)
Thursday, Feb. 24 | 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 – Issue 15
 
Fast Break Points
• Horizon League standings and conference tournament seeding are on the line as Northern Kentucky enters the final week of the regular season. The Norse currently rank third in the league standings. The top four teams at the regular season's end, based on winning percentage, receive Horizon League Championship first-round byes and host quarterfinals.
 
• The Norse have won 10 of their last 12 games and while holding those 12 foes to an average of 62.1 points. For the season, NKU has the Horizon League's top scoring defense (66.1 points).
 
• 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, 27 games into 2021-22, the Norse rank 13th (35.5%) per KenPom.com. The payoff for attacking the offensive glass: NKU's 333 second-chance points this season. That's an average of 12.3 points a game.
 
• In the national statistical rankings, NKU is 10th in total steals (253), 11th in steals per game (9.4), 19th in offensive rebounds per game (12.7) and 44th in made threes per game (9.0).
 
• 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, leads the team with 15.3 points per game. He has averaged 17.6 points in the Norse's last 10 outings.
 
• G Trevon Faulkner, a Preseason All-Horizon League Second Team selection, averages 11.9 points and has made at least one 3-pointer in 21 of his 26 games.
 
• G Sam Vinson has been named Nike Horizon League Men's Freshman of the Week seven times. He ranks 25th nationally in total steals (55) and 34th in steals per game (2.0).
 
• F Adrian Nelson, a Horizon League All-Academic honoree, ranks sixth all-time at NKU with 699 career rebounds. His 3.2 offensive rebounds per game rank first in the Horizon League.
 
• F Chris Brandon has recorded two double-doubles this season, most recently Feb. 9 at Milwaukee (17 pts, 11 reb). He averages a league-third 3.0 offensive rebounds per game.
 
• G Bryson Langdon has averaged 8.2 points and 5.3 assists in NKU's last six games. His assist-to-turnover ratio (2.3) ranks fifth in the Horizon League and 59th nationally.
 
• G Hubertas Pivorius is shooting 45.7% (32-of-70) from 3-point range, including a 4-for-5 performance at Detroit Mercy Feb. 18. He went 3-for-5 from the perimeter at Oakland Feb. 20.
 
Last Time Out
Northern Kentucky overcame a 13-point deficit to defeat Oakland 71-66 Feb. 20 and complete a regular season sweep of the Golden Grizzlies. The Norse scored 34 points off Oakland's 23 turnovers. Oakland led 56-55 with 5:48 to play but Hubertas Pivorius buried a 3-pointer to start a 10-0 Norse run and NKU rebuffed the Golden Grizzlies' comeback attempts thereafter. Marques Warrick scored 27 points on 10-for-21 shooting and made all four of his free throws. He added four assists, three steals and two rebounds.
 
Scouting Robert Morris
The Colonials have lost five of their last seven games, including a 96-88 overtime defeat by UIC. Senior forward Kahliel Spear leads the team in scoring (14.6) and the Horizon League in field goal percentage (54.8%). RMU's biggest struggle has been defensively; the team is last in the Horizon League in points allowed (74.5 per game) and 3-point defense (36.3%). When the team finds its stride, as it has in its seven wins, it outscores opponents by 16.3 points and holds them to an average 58.7 points.
 
Series Stuff
NKU leads the RMU series 2-1, although the last meeting was 74-64 loss to the Colonials at the UPMC Events Center Jan. 15. 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 two wins over RMU came last season in the Colonials' first year in the Horizon League. The Norse defeated Robert Morris on back-to-back nights on the Colonials' court, first with an 81-76 victory on Jan. 22, 2021 and then with a 79-74 overtime triumph on Jan. 23, 2021. NKU rallied from a 17-point first-half deficit in the latter game.