INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - Northern Kentucky University Norse men's basketball continued play in the Barbasol Horizon League Championship on Sunday, taking on Green Bay.

A slow start from NKU's offense saw them not make a field goal until the 10:33 mark in the first half, but the Norse rallied to take a two-possession lead into the halftime break, 36-30. NKU found its offensive groove in the second half as they outscored the Phoenix 60-46 over the final 20 minutes, hitting 14 three-pointers in a 20-point victory. 

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Northern Kentucky - 96, Green Bay - 76
LOCATION: Corteva Coliseum – Indianapolis, Ind.
RECORDS: Northern Kentucky: 20-13, 10-10 HL | Green Bay: 18-15, 12-8 HL

BOX SCORE BREAKDOWN
– Northern Kentucky shot 49.3% from the field, 14-28 from distance, and 16-21 from the foul line. Green Bay shot 50.9% from the field but just 4-14 from deep, while knocking down 18-19 free throw attempts. 
– The Norse crushed the Phoenix on the glass, 37-25, grabbing 15 offensive boards while limiting Green Bay to 20 defensive rebounds. NKU converted on those second-chance opportunities, scoring 21 points off offensive rebounds. 
– Northern Kentucky had just four turnovers in the game, while forcing nine Phoenix turnovers, and scored 17 points on those opportunities. 
– LJ Wells led the Norse with game-highs of 26 points and nine rebounds. He shot 8-12 from the floor and 10-12 from the charity stripe while dishing out four assists.
– Kael Robinson had 22 points on 8-17 shooting and 5-10 shooting from deep. He also grabbed six rebounds. 
– Dan Gherezgher scored 19 off the bench, with all of his points coming in the second half. He also finished with four rebounds and four assists as he knocked down five triples.
– Donovan Oday went for 18 points on 6-12 shooting and 4-7 shooting from distance, finishing with four rebounds, two assists, and two steals. 
– Ethan Elliott dished out nine assists in the contests, also scoring five points and grabbing four rebounds. 

GAME NOTES
– NKU's four turnovers marked its second-lowest mark in a game all season, as the Norse had just three against Green Bay on January 11. 
– Northern Kentucky's 14 made three-pointers tied a season-high they set on January 9 against Milwaukee. It marked the most the Norse have ever had in a conference tournament contest since joining Division I. 
– LJ's 26-point, nine-rebound night was the fourth such game in a Horizon League Tournament in NKU history, as Trey Robinson, Drew McDonald, and Trevon Faulkner all accomplished the feat.
– With the win, NKU recorded its first 20-win season since 2022-23, and fourth under head coach Darrin Horn. 

UP NEXT
– NKU will take on top-seeded Wright State on Monday, March 9, at 7 PM at the Corteva Coliseum for a spot in the title game. 

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