HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Crossover season is in full swing for the Norse as Northern Kentucky Athletics has another stacked week ahead of everyone, which incudes the final regular season week for men's and women's basketball, track & field competing at the Horizon League Indoor Championships, softball and baseball both getting into their seasons, and women's tennis having a pair of matches in the latest edition of Norse Notes. 


MEN'S BASKETBALL
- Thursday at Detroit Mercy (7 PM ET): Watch | Listen | Live Stats 
- Saturday at Oakland (3 PM ET): Watch | Listen | Live Stats 
 
The Northern Kentucky men's basketball program will look to wrap up a first-round bye and a home game at Truist Arena to open the Horizon League Tournament with a win in either of its two games this week. The Norse head to Detroit Mercy for a clash with the Titans on Thursday, Feb. 23 at 7 PM ET and follow it with the regular-season finale against Oakland on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 3 PM ET. 
 
Both games will be streamed nationwide on ESPN+. Thursday's contest can be heard anywhere in the country on ESPN 1530 while Saturday's clash is being broadcast on Fox Sports 1360. 
 
All eyes will be on standout junior Marques Warrick as he is just 19 points from matching NKU great Drew McDonald and his 573 points scored, a NKU NCAA DI era single-season record. He is also 110 points from Derek Fields for most points scored by a NKU student-athlete in a single campaign. Warrick is looking to become the first NKU NCAA DI era student-athlete to average 20 points per game in a single season. 
 
Another milestone in reach can be had by Chris Brandon as he is just 37 rebounds away from McDonald for most boards pulled down in a single season in school history. 
 

TRACK & FIELD 
- Saturday at 2023 Horizon League Indoor Championships (Day One): Championship Central 
- Sunday at 2023 Horizon League Indoor Championships (Day Two): Championship Central 
 
The Northern Kentucky track & field program is ready to go up against the league's best at the 2023 Horizon League Indoor Track & Field Championships that runs Saturday, Feb. 23 through Sunday, Feb. 24 on Purdue Fort Wayne's campus at the Lutheran Health Field House. 
 
Saturday's action will get underway with field events at 12 PM ET while the track portion of the schedule will follow at 2:30 PM. The championships will conclude on Sunday with field events taking off at 9:15 AM while the track slate will get underway 1 PM. The entire two-day event will be streamed nationwide on ESPN+. 
 
Standout marks so far this season for the Norse include Julia Pohl (second in Horizon in the high jump), Megan Cole (fourth in the 5000), Olivia Kennedy (fourth in the 800), Natnael Wedlemichael (fifth in the mile), Megan Sullivan (fifth in the 400), Meredith Goff (sixth in the 200 and eighth in the 60), Andrea Armstrong (sixth in the 400) and Erin Starkes (seventh in the 60H), amongst others. The Norse's women's squad is also ranked second in the DMR and third in the 4x400 relay. 
 
 
SOFTBALL 
- Friday vs. Southern Illinois (Coach B Classic – 3:15 PM ET): Live Stats 
- Saturday vs. SIUE (Coach B Classic – 11:30 AM ET): Live Stats 
- Saturday vs. Southern Illinois (Coach B Classic – 4 PM ET): Live Stats 
- Sunday vs. SIUE (Coach B Classic – 11:30 AM ET): Live Stats 
- Sunday vs. DePaul (Coach B Classic – 1:45 PM ET): Live Stats 
 
After a record-setting start to the 2023 season, which included the Norse's first win over a Power 5 program in school history, the Northern Kentucky softball program is back for the Coach B Classic, hosted by SIUE at Charlotte West Stadium in Carbondale, Ill. The three-day tournament will run Friday, Feb. 24 through Sunday, Feb. 26. 
 
After its opening tournament, NKU was awarded its first sweep of the Horizon League weekly honors since 2018 as Ella LeMonier was named the conference's Player of the Week while Madisyn Eads took home the league's Pitcher of the Week honors. 
 
As a team, Northern Kentucky leads the Horizon League with its .266 batting average. The Norse are also first in the conference in on-base percentage (.352), stolen bases (9), triples (2) and saves (1). 
 
Ella LeMonier is second in the Horizon in both batting average (.556) and on-base percentage (.579) while Trinity Robertson leads the league in on-base percentage (.625) and ranks fifth in slugging percentage (.692). LeMonier is also tied for the league lead in hits (10) and paces the Horizon in stolen bases (5).
 
 
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
- Thursday vs. Detroit Mercy (7 PM ET): Watch | Live Stats  - Black History Celebration
- Saturday vs. Oakland (2 PM ET): Watch | Live Stats - Senior Day / Mini Hoop Giveaway 
 
Northern Kentucky looks to close out the 2022-23 regular season on a high note at home as the Norse welcome both Detroit Mercy and Oakland to Truist Arena this week. NKU will first meet the Titans of UDM on Thursday, Feb. 23 with tip off scheduled for 7 PM ET inside the Norse home venue. NKU handled Detroit with ease during their first meeting earlier this season, winning 75-51 on the road. Thursday's contest will also feature a celebration of Black History throughout the game as well.

NKU will then play their final regular season game inside Truist Arena against the Golden Grizzlies of Oakland, Saturday, Feb. 25 at 2 PM ET. Oakland got the better of NKU up in Rochester, Mich. earlier this season with the Grizzlies winning it 74-67. Northern Kentucky will be honoring four seniors prior to this contest as Ivy Turner, Lindsey Duvall, Tayah Irvin and Emmy Souder will all be recognized for their accomplishments and dedication to Norse basketball.

The Norse look are out for revenge this week regardless after dropping their last two games and are currently in a fight within the Horizon League for fifth place overall. NKU is tied with Purdue Fort Wayne with a conference record of 9-9.
 

BASEBALL
- Tuesday at Eastern Kentucky (4 PM ET): Watch | Live Stats 
- Friday vs. Western Michigan (2 PM ET): Live Stats 
- Saturday vs. Western Michigan (1 PM ET): Live Stats 
- Sunday vs. Western Michigan (12 PM ET):  Live Stats 

Northern Kentucky baseball is back at Friendship Field at the Bill Aker Baseball Complex this week as the Norse will host a three-game series against the Broncos of Western Michigan. NKU will first make a quick road trip over to Richmond, Ky. to take on the Colonels of Eastern Kentucky in a single-game nonconference bout. That match up is scheduled for a 4 PM ET start time and will also be broadcasts on ESPN+.
 
The Norse will see their home opener against Western Michigan on Friday, Feb. 24 from Friendship Field with first pitch slated for 2 PM ET. NKU then will follow up this contest with a Saturday and Sunday game against WMU beginning at 1 PM and 12 PM ET respectively. 

NKU is coming off a solid start to the 2023 season after picking up a pair of wins over MAC opponent Eastern Michigan while playing at neutral site Hoover, Alabama. The Norse downed the Eagles in the opening two games by scores of 9-2 and 5-4 to claim the series and carry momentum into their home opener this weekend. 
 
 
WOMEN'S TENNIS
- Friday at Bellarmine (5 PM ET) – Crestview Hills, KY
- Saturday vs. Bowling Green (4:30 PM ET) – Dayton, OH

Northern Kentucky women's tennis is back at it this week with a pair of nonconference matches, first hosting the Hilltoppers of Western Kentucky on Friday, Feb. 25. The Norse and WKU will square off inside the Five Seasons Sports Club from Crestview Hills, Ky. with first serve slated for 5 PM ET. 

The Norse will then turnaround and head north to Dayton, Ohio to meet the Falcons of Bowling Green. This contest is scheduled for a 4:30 PM ET start time as well.  

 


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