NKU 79 | RMU 77

NKU picked up a hard fought Road victory on Tuesday night to climb to 2-2 in the Horizon League this year! The Norse trailed 17-4 before the offense came to life, outscoring the Colonials 39-28 in the final 13:05 of the first half. The comeback was sparked from NKU taking care of the ball and getting out on the break. 7 different Norse players scored, including contributions from Shawn Nelson and Donovan Rakotonanahary, helping take some of the pressure off the top end of the rotation. Kael Robinson, per usual is a microwave and had a spurt late in the first where he hit a layup and a 3 on back to back possessions, and a minute later, hit another 3. He led all scorers with 10 at the half.

The second half was a tough, back and forth battle, with the game staying within 2 possessions for the first 13 minutes of the period. Robert Morris was able to briefly grab the lead at the 11:40 mark in the second half before both teams went cold from the floor. NKU broke a 2:30 drought for both teams with an LJ Wells hook shot. The next time RMU was able to score was with 7:28 remaining. At that point, NKU had built a 5 point lead (65-60). NKU was able to stretch the lead out a bit down the stretch, leading 73-64 with 5:22 remaining. However, defensive struggles plagued them and they allowed RMU to jump right back in the game, making it a 73-71 NKU lead with 3:09 remaining. Donovan Oday was able to push it to 4 points just 6 seconds later, and the teams traded baskets after that. NKU was able to hit some free throws to seal the game and hold on for the 2 point victory.

Tonight’s result was a crucial one for the Norse, who are firmly in the middle of the league at this point.

NKY’s Takeaways:

NKU’s defense showed signs of life tonight and was able to get a stop when they needed it. The intensity they play with puts opposing offenses under a lot of stress. Tonight, that equated to 15 turnovers for the Colonials with 7 of those from Albert Vargas, who was averaging less than 2 TO’s coming into tonight. The Colonials averaged just 13 turnovers per night prior to tonight’s performance.

NKU turned 15 RMU turnovers into 16 points — not an elite number, but a noticeable improvement from earlier performances this season and a clear sign of progress. The Norse also held a 15–7 edge in fast-break points, which speaks volumes about both their improved ball security (12 turnovers tonight) and their ability to push tempo once they gained possession. By getting out in transition quickly, NKU consistently prevented RMU from getting its defense set, creating higher-quality scoring opportunities.

NKU lost the rebounding battle, 38-28, however the advantage for RMU came on the offensive glass, where RMU held a 15-5 advantage. NKU allowed RMU to turn those 15 offensive rebounds into 20 points. While this is a very poor number, and highlights the trend NKU has struggled with all season, RMU is a top 30 team in the nation on the offensive glass, so this was never something the Norse were going to be able to dominate. NKU did have an extremely balanced approach to the glass tonight, with 8 guys grabbing at least 1 rebound, and 6 guys having 3 or more.

NKU showed grit tonight, and a toughness that has developed from playing in these close games this year, and really challenging themselves in the non-conference. Tonight, NKU was able to find a way to get a key stop or two to allow them to grow their lead, and despite allowing RMU to come back to make it a 1 possession game, they were able to close the game out. NKU also won tonight’s game without a great showing from deep, with just 1 players (Kael and Ethan) hitting a 3, and an overall performance of 3-12 from behind the arc. While NKU will shoot better most nights, finding another grittier way to win is impressive.

Key Performances:

• Donovan Oday: 16/3/2, 3 steals and 2 turnovers. He did not commit a foul on the night!
• Dan Gherezgher: 14/3/2, 4 turnovers
• LJ Wells: 14/8/0, 2 steals, 2 turnovers
• Ethan Elliott: 11/1/2, 3 steals
• Shawn Nelson: 6/1/0, 1 turnover. Shawn played 10 minutes tonight and was a perfect 2-2 from the field and 2-2 from the FT line. I thought his performance, notably in the first half was crucial to the team tonight.

Of note, Ethan Elliott played just 25 minutes tonight, but went an impressive 5-7 from the field, including 1-2 from deep. He showcased excellent ball handling without any turnovers. His 3 steals also energized the team’s offense, sparking fast breaks and scoring opportunities. Without his valuable contributions tonight, the game would have taken a different turn. This marks 2 out of 3 games where Ethan has delivered solid performances, with this being his best game against a D1 opponent. I’m curious to see if this is a sign of him hitting his stride and how he continues to build on this momentum, as the team needs continued solid contributions from his spot in the rotation.

Horizon League Outlook:

Other key Horizon League results on Monday night included:

• Milwaukee beating Purdue Fort Wayne by 20+
• Wright State beating Oakland by 15
• Detroit Mercy improving to 3-1 on the year with a 5 point victory at Youngstown State
• Cleveland State knocking off IU Indy in a battle at the bottom of the conference.

NKU sits at 2-2 in conference play, which places them tied for 5th with RMU, Youngstown State, and Purdue Fort Wayne. Milwaukee, Oakland, Wright State, and Green Bay all have only played 3 conference games, while the remainder have all played 4. The Norse are in a solid spot to battle for the top of the league, despite the disappointing results against PFW and Oakland.

Next Up: A New Year’s Day Matinee at Truist Arena vs. IU Indy! I will be on site with all of the updates you need!