This Week in NKU Athletics - Start of Feb.

Men's Basketball 1/30/2023 10:15:00 AM

This Week in Northern Kentucky Athletics: January 30 – February 5

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The calendar turns to February this week which means we are in the heart of the NKU men's and women's basketball season as the two sides battle for the Horizon League crown. This week also sees men's and women's tennis in action and the return of men's and women's track & field to competition in another jam-packed week for Northern Kentucky Athletics.

MEN'S BASKETBALL
- Thursday at Robert Morris (7 PM ET): Watch | Listen | Live Stats
- Saturday at Youngstown State (7 PM ET): Watch | Listen | Live Stats

The Northern Kentucky men's basketball program takes to the road for two Horizon League showdowns this week. The Norse begin the weekly slate with a Thursday clash at Robert Morris on Feb. 2 and follow it with a Saturday trip to Youngstown State on Feb. 4. Both games will tip at 7 PM ET and can be streamed nationwide on ESPN+.

The Norse enter the week in a four-way tie for first in the Horizon League with a 9-3 mark in conference play. NKU is tied atop the standings with Youngstown State, Milwaukee and Cleveland State.

Coming into the week, NKU is ranked fifth in the nation with 9.8 steals per contest, eighth in turnover margin (4.9), 14th in turnovers forced per game (17.00) and 36th in scoring defense (63.5 points allowed per contest). All four marks lead the Horizon League.

Individually, Marques Warrick is 49th in the country in points per game (18.7), Chris Brandon is 22nd in rebounds per game (9.7) and Sam Vinson is eighth in steals per contest (2.45).

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
- Thursday at Wright State (6 PM ET): Watch | Live Stats | Tickets

Northern Kentucky returns to the road this week, as the Norse will head north to Dayton, Ohio to take on archrival Wright State. NKU and WSU will tip off on Thursday, Feb. 2 at 6 PM ET inside the Nutter Center. WSU currently holds a 15-14 all-time record against the Norse, however Northern Kentucky has won the last two meetings.

NKU last week posted a record of 1-1 overall, defeating the Colonials on the road in Moon Township, Pa. by a final score of 62-47. The Norse currently sit in fifth place in the Horizon League, while the Raiders of WSU are 3-19 (2-10 Horizon) and are in 10th place overall.

MEN'S TENNIS
- Saturday vs. Eastern Kentucky (6:30 PM ET): Crestview Hills, KY

Northern Kentucky men's tennis is coming off a 1-1 overall record this past week, after defeating the Saints of Thomas More 6-1 and falling to the No. 4 nationally ranked Wildcats of Kentucky 6-1. The Norse saw their lone victory against UK come from Josef Zapletal after defeating Chris Clement by a score of 6-4, 6-4.

The victory over Thomas More saw singles wins from Nick Nienhaus, Bartosz Losiak, Emilio Bravo, Vincent Knott and Zapletal to lead NKU to their third win of the season.

NKU will welcome Eastern Kentucky to Crestview Hills, Ky. as the Norse will square off against the Colonels inside the Five Seasons Sports Club. This match will look to begin at 6:30 PM ET on Saturday, Feb. 4.

WOMEN'S TENNIS
- Friday at West Virginia (1 PM ET): Morgantown, WV
- Saturday vs. Eastern Kentucky (4 PM ET): Richmond, KY

Northern Kentucky women's tennis picked up their second win of the season after downing Thomas More in dominating fashion by a score of 7-0. In doubles action the duos of Anglea Rinaldi / Mariajose Hernandez, Laura Sola Grau / Sylvia Gray and Ananya Kothakota / Sonia Tandelova all earned victories against the Saints. In singles action Ashlee Fisk, Elizabeth Rozin, Kothakota, Gray, Rinaldi and Tandelova all cruised past their opponents to lead NKU to a win.

The Norse will first make the trip to Morgantown, West Virginia on Friday, Feb. 3 as NKU will take on Big 12 opponent West Virginia beginning at 1 PM ET. Northern Kentucky then returns home to the Five Seasons Sports Club to host the Colonels of Eastern Kentucky on Saturday, Feb. 4 with match time starting at 4 PM ET.

MEN'S AND WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD
- Friday at PNC Bank Bellarmine Classic (F – 10 AM ET | T – 11 AM ET): Meet Info and Schedule
- Friday at Notre Dame's Meyo Invitational (F – 4 PM ET | T – 4:30 PM ET): Meet Info and Schedule
- Saturday at Notre Dame's Meyo Invitational (F – 11 AM ET | T – 10 AM ET): Meet Info and Schedule

The Northern Kentucky men's and women's track & field programs will look to continue their strong start to the indoor season with two meets on the docket this week. The majority of the squad will head to Louisville for the PNC Bank Bellarmine Classic on Friday, Feb. 3 at the Norton Health Care Sports and Learning Center. A select group of student-athlete will take to Notre Dame for the Meyo Invitational, set for Friday Feb. 3 – Saturday, Feb. 4 at the Loftus Center in South Bend.

Friday's Bellarmine Classic will get underway with field events at 10 AM ET and track events at 11 AM ET. The two-day Meyo Invitational will begin on Friday with field events at 4 PM and track events at 4:30 PM. The Meyo Invitational will conclude on Saturday, with the track portion of the schedule taking off at 10 AM while the field slate will follow at 11 AM.

Standouts so far this indoor season include Andrea Armstrong (second in the Horizon League in the 400 and tied for sixth in the 200), NKU's 4x400 relay group (second in the conference), Julia Pohl (second in the high jump), Olivia Kennedy (third in the 800), Natnael Weldemichael (third in the mile and 11th in the 3000), Erin Starkes (fifth in the 200 and sixth in the 60H) and Megan Cole (fifth in the 3000).

TUESDAY NIGHT AT DEAD LOW BREWING FOR THE NKU NORSE NATION BASKETBALL COACHES SHOW
- Tuesday at Dead Low Brewing (Live from 6-7 PM ET): Website | Listen Live

The Norse Nation Basketball Coaches show is back once again as NKU Athletics takes over Dead Low Brewing on Tuesday, Jan. 31. Join NKU basketball head coaches Darrin Horn and Camryn Whitaker every Tuesday from 6:00-7:00 PM ET for the next five weeks at the closest brewery to the NKU campus. Jim Kelch and Rick Broering lead the broadcast, with this week's show being available nationwide on ESPN 1530.

Kids eat free every Tuesday at Dead Low and fans will also be able to take advantage of a $10 pretzels and pint deal. Norse Nation can also enjoy Dead Low's Norse Golden Ale, a delicious craft beer available exclusively at the brewery and all home NKU men's basketball games.

Complete information for the upcoming shows can be found here. Doors open at 4 PM ET.