MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Northern Kentucky University Norse men's basketball headed up north for a road battle on Thursday night, taking on Central Michigan. The Norse led wire-to-wire, playing a dominant game on both ends of the floor as NKU took home a 90-66 win. 

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Northern Kentucky - 90, Central Michigan - 66
LOCATION: McGuirk Arena - Highland Heights, Ky.
RECORDS: Northern Kentucky: 3-2 | Central Michigan: 2-3

BOX SCORE BREAKDOWN
- Entering the game ranked third in the nation in fast break points, the Norse pushed the pace once again on Thursday night, scoring 25 fast break points while allowing zero from the Chippewas. The Norse were able to capitalize on transition opportunities by forcing 19 CMU turnovers, scoring 26 points off those cough-ups.
- Northern Kentucky knocked down a season-high 13 threes, shooting 48.1% from behind the arc. NKU shot 53.1% from the field, including 58% in the second half (18-31). 
- LJ Wells posted a near double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds. The Norse big man also had five assists with just one turnover, and posted two steals and a block.
- Despite being taken out of the starting lineup for the first time in 2025, Donovan Oday led the Norse in scoring with a 20-point night. The senior guard went 7-13 from the field, 3-6 from deep, with four rebounds and a pair of steals.
- Kael Robinson scored 12 of his 17 points in the first half, showcasing his range as he knocked down four of five triples. Robinson also recorded three rebounds, two assists, and a steal. 
- Dan Gherezgher dropped 13 points in the game, with 11 of those coming in the second half. 
- Ethan Elliott dished out a game-high eight assists, also scoring seven points, and recording three steals. 
- In his first game in the starting lineup, Tae Dozier finished with nine points, six rebounds, four assists, and three steals. 

HOW IT HAPPENED
- Northern Kentucky rolled out a new starting lineup for the first time since the opener, as wing Tae Dozier got the starting nod over Donovan Oday. 
- The Norse jumped out to an early lead, as Kael Robinson scored his seventh point before the first media timeout to take an 11-6 lead. NKU kept rolling with a 7-0 run later in the half to take a 12-point lead. The Norse gave the Chippewas plenty of trouble with defensive pressure, leading to ten first-half turnovers for CMU. Leading by as much as 17 in the half, Central Michigan cut it to ten with a minute to go in the half, but a pair of late buckets lifted the Norse advantage back to 14 by the halftime whistle. 
- The Norse kept rolling in the second half, outscoring the Chippewas 46-36 in the second frame. Central Michigan stuck around for the first ten minutes of the half, but Dan Gherezgher, who had just two points in the first 30 minutes of the game, scored seven straight for NKU with a pair of threes and a driving layup. That gave Northern Kentucky a 21-point advantage, one they'd grow off three-straight made threes, resulting in a 90-66 win.

UP NEXT
Northern Kentucky opens up a four-game homestand on Monday as the Norse host Northern Kentucky. Get your tickets today!

FOLLOW NKU NORSE MEN'S BASKETBALL
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