@NKUNorseMBB nabs another Horizon League victory, defeating Purdue Fort Wayne, 75-68, to ring in the new year

  • NKU athletics
    NKU athletics

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky men’s basketball team claimed the 75-68 victory over the Mastodons of Purdue Fort Wayne in a Friday night matchup at BB&T Arena. NKU improves to 4-4 on the season and 2-1 in Horizon League play, while PFW shifts to 2-4 overall and 1-4 in League competition.  

 

STATS LEADERS 

  • Marques Warrick notched a new career-high in scoring with 22 points. The freshman continues to elevate his achievement in the scoring column with near back-to-back games of unlocking career-highs. His last career-high night was two games prior against Youngstown State with 18 points.    
  • Trevon Faulkner dropped another 20-point scoring effort for the Norse, adding 21 points on the night off of 7-of-12 (58 percent) shooting from the floor. He added six rebounds, three steals and an assist.  
  • Bryson Langdon tied his season-high in points with another showing of 15, going 5-of-8 (63 percent) from the field. Langdon dished out three assists and snatched a steal.  

     
    TURNING POINT 
  • The Norse sparked an 11-2 run beginning at the 5:35 mark in the second half to amass a seven-point lead against the Mastodons, creating a 69-62 spread with 2:20 left to play. NKU maintained the lead until the final buzzer.  


    FIRST HALF SUMMARY 
  • The Mastodons threw the first punch early in the game, jumping out to an 18-4 lead off an 11-0 run beginning at the 16:59 mark. The streak was snapped by a Langdon layup with 14:35 remaining. 
  • Langdon snapped the Norse scoring drought in fashion with not only one layup, but the junior went on to score four additional points for six total in a span of 37 seconds. The Norse used the spark from Langdon to complete a 9-0 run of its own, bringing the game to a 13-18 score in favor of PFW until 11:44 remained.  
  • NKU found rhythm late in the half and squared up to PFW with an 8-0 run sparked by a Faulkner dunk shifting the game to a 30-30 tie. It was the only time in the half the Norse would hold a share of the lead.  
  • The Norse went 2-for-11 (18 percent) from three-point range while the Mastodons completed 6-of-10 (60 percent) attempts from the same scope. PFW’s Deonte Billups was 4-of-4 (100 percent) from beyond-the-arc.  
  • PFW held a 38-32 advantage over NKU at the intermission.  
     

    SECOND HALF SUMMARY 
  • NKU claimed its first lead of the game via a 12-5 run straight out of the gates from the halftime break. The Norse led, 44-43, with 16:41 remaining in the game.  
  • From the 10:39 to the 4:01 mark, the game was a consistent battle as neither team led by more than a single possession. Warrick began to break the spell for NKU with a steal and a layup while John Harge knocked down a jumper to take a four-point lead, 64-60.  
  • The game was solidified with an 11-2 run by the home team ending with 2:20 on the clock, giving the Norse the final lift needed to secure the victory.  
  • The matchup was even from the field with both teams converting on 25 made buckets. NKU went 25-of-51 (49 percent) from the floor while PFW completed 25-of-47 (53 percent) attempts.  

    GAME NOTES 
  • This come-from-behind win following a halftime deficit marks the first time the Norse have completed such a feat this season. NKU was 3-8 when trailing at the half last season.
  • Northern Kentucky won the rebound battle, 31-21, moving to 2-1 this year when winning the battle and improved to 25-5 in the last two years when either winning or keeping the margin within five caroms.
  • The Norse shut down the Mastodon’s Jarred Godfrey by allowing the junior to score just four points. Godfrey eclipsed the 20-point mark in all four contests against other Horizon League opponents this season.  
  • Warrick and Faulkner provide NKU with two 20-plus scoring performances in the same game for the first time this season. Former Norse Jalen Tate and Tyler Sharpe scored 23 and 20 points, respectively, in the 2020 Horizon League Men’s Basketball tournament in the semifinal matchup against Green Bay.
  • NKU only spent 13:26 minutes in the lead, while the Mastodons held the advantage for 23:57 throughout the matchup.  


UP NEXT 

Northern Kentucky plays host again to Purdue Fort Wayne in a 6 p.m. matchup on Saturday, Jan. 2. The broadcast will be available on ESPN3 and FoxSports1360 (1360 AM).