Northern Kentucky men's basketball came into Sunday's match-up with Norfolk State on a roll, winning two straight and three of the last four prior to the game, and the Norse came out on top once again with a win over the Spartans 71-62 at Truist Arena.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Northern Kentucky - 71, Norfolk State - 62
LOCATION: Truist Arena (Highland Heights, KY)
RECORDS: Northern Kentucky: 5-6 (1-0 Horizon), Norfolk State: 6-6 (0-0 MEAC)
BOX SCORE BREAKDOWN
- Josh Dilling was the lone Norse to make a three-point basket in the win, but he drilled seven triples on 11 attempts from beyond the arc for a season-high 22 points. Dilling added five boards and two assists and did not turn the ball over in the win.
- Sam Vinson scored 21 points in the win, adding four rebounds, five assists and three steals to his stat line. Vinson shot 4-5 from the field, drew eight fouls and shot 13-15 from the free throw line.
- LJ Wells' 10 point, nine rebound effort gave him a near double-double in 24 minutes. Wells had a pair of assists and four blocked shots as well.
- Keeyan Itejere had a solid afternoon, posting eight points, seven rebounds and three blocks.
- NKU had 10 offensive rebounds in the win, and won the rebounding battle 35-32.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- Northern Kentucky and Norfolk State battled back and forth throughout the first half which featured seven lead changes and nine ties. Tied 38-38 with seconds to go, Josh Dilling drilled a three from near halfcourt to beat the buzzer and give the Norse a 41-38 halftime lead.
- NKU fell behind 44-43 at the 16:18 mark in the second half, but would not trail the rest of the game on the way to a nine point win. NKU held the Spartans to just 27% shooting in the second half.
UP NEXT
- Northern Kentucky plays host to Detroit Mercy in its Horizon League home opener on Wednesday night. It is Military Appreciation Night at Truist Arena, and tip off is scheduled for 7 PM.
