HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Horizon League schedule continues for the Northern Kentucky men’s basketball team with a trip to Moon Township, Pennsylvania, for games against league-newcomer Robert Morris. Contests are slated for 7 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Jan. 22 and 23, respectively.
Game Information
Northern Kentucky University Norse (5-8 Overall, 3-5 Horizon League)
Robert Morris University Colonials (3-5 Overall, 2-3 Horizon League)
Game 1
Friday, Jan. 22 – 7:00 p.m. (ET)
Moon Township, Pa. | UPMC Events Center (4,000)
TV: ESPN3 with Chris Shovlin (PxP) and Jim Elias (Color)
Radio: ESPN1530 with Jim Kelch (PxP) and Rick Broering (Color)
Stats: Live Stats
Game 2
Saturday, Jan. 23 – 5:00 p.m. (ET)
Moon Township, Pa. | UPMC Events Center (4,000)
TV: ESPN3 with Chris Shovlin (PxP) and Jim Elias (Color)
Radio: 55KRC with Jim Kelch (PxP) and Rick Broering (Color)
Stats: Live Stats
Fast Break Points
• NKU was swept for the second-straight series when it fell 69-74 and 63-65 versus IUPUI last weekend, marking the first time since 2015-16 that the Norse have suffered four-straight losses.
• NKU heads to Robert Morris for two games against the 3-5 (2-3 Horizon League) Colonials.
• NKU and RMU are meeting on the hardwood for the first time ever.
• According to KenPom, NKU ranks 13th in the country in offensive rebound percentage (36.8). The Norse also average 13.2 offensive rebounds per game, good for the 23rd-best average in the country.
• In the last five years, NKU has been incredibly tough at BB&T Arena, boasting a 57-12 (.826) record at home since 2016-17.
• NKU is 5-3 at home this year, but is still seeking its first road win (0-5).
• NKU is coming off a 23-9 campaign in which it finished second in the Horizon League regular season at 13-5 and won the 2020 Horizon League Tournament Championship.
• NKU has posted four-straight 20-win seasons for just the second time in program history, joining the 1994-95 through 1997-98 teams as the only Norse squads to do so.
• NKU is in the second year of the Darrin Horn era, as the Kentucky native is just the sixth head coach in the 50th season of the program. In his 11th year as a head coach, Horn has a career record of 199-128.
• NKU has been one of the most dominant teams in the Horizon League over the last four seasons, amassing a 64-25 (.719) mark against league foes while winning five of the combined eight league championships (two regular season and three tournament).
• Since the start of the 2016-17 season, NKU is a combined 100-47 (.680), has won the Horizon League regular season twice (‘18, ‘19) and league tourney thrice (‘17, ‘19, ‘20), and has qualified for either the NCAA Tournament (‘17, ‘19, ‘20) or NIT (‘18) every year. No other team in DI history has registered this level of accomplishments in its first four years of active status.
• G Marques Warrick has been a shining star early in his Norse career. The rookie leads NKU with four 20-plus scoring outbursts and has won four Horizon League Freshman of the Week honors.
• Warrick has been in a groove of late, averaging 17.5 ppg over the last six games with four 20-point outbursts.
• Warrick is second on the team in scoring on the season at 14.0 ppg, but that number swells to 16.4 ppg against Horizon League opposition.
• G Trevon Faulkner has been as advertised to start the season, impacting the game in all facets with averages of 16.8 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.8 steals.
• F Adrian Nelson ranks 11th in the nation in offensive rebounds per game (3.85) and 18th in total rebounds per game (10.2). He also has three double-doubles on the year.
• F David Böhm has started each of the last nine games for the Norse. Böhm was named #HLMBB Freshman of the Week on Dec. 14 and is averaging 8.1 ppg on the season.
• G Trey Robinson has also been impressive for the Norse, averaging 6.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game.
• G Bryson Langdon has been a steady presence for NKU, averaging 8.2 points, 1.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game.
Last Time Out
NKU was swept for the second-straight weekend, dropping four-straight games for the first time since 2015-16. Warrick poured in 20 points and Faulkner added 19, but the Norse allowed IUPUI to shoot 53 percent in the second half, including a 6-of-9 clip from 3-point range, in a 74-69 loss.
Leading 61-60 with just over four-minutes to play, NKU suddenly struggled to find the bottom of the net, allowing IUPUI to close out the contest on a small, but decisive, 5-2 run in the 63-65 setback. Faulkner led the Norse with 16 points and Böhm added 11.
Scouting Robert Morris
After playing just three nonconference games due to two being wiped out because of COVID-19, Robert Morris has suffered a similar fate in league contests with five having already been canceled. The Colonials are 3-5 on the year and 2-3 in league play. They are coming off back-to-back losses against UIC. AJ Bramah is the only player averaging double-figures, but he is pouring in a league-high 21.1 ppg. Bramah’s scoring swells to 22.6 ppg against Horizon opposition.
Series Stuff
Northern Kentucky and Robert Morris are squaring off for the first time on the hardwood. The Norse are 1-1 this year against first-time opponents, defeating Tennessee Tech and falling at Kent State.