Northern Kentucky Norse 85 | Milwaukee Panthers 67

UWM Panther Arena | Miwaukee, Wisconsin | Attendance: 1747

NKU thoroughly outperformed the Milwaukee team tonight, despite entering the game as the underdog. The Norse are now on a four-game winning streak and will face the Phoenix in Green Bay on Sunday at 2:00 ET. Tonight’s game was never in doubt, as the Norse maintained control throughout.

NKY’s takeaways

NKU showcased a dominant performance tonight, controlling the glass with a 43-29 rebounding advantage, including 18 offensive boards. These 18 offensive rebounds translated into 25 second-chance points, an area where NKU excelled, while MKE managed only 13 second-chance points.

The Norse exhibited excellent ball movement, dishing out 16 assists against just 9 turnovers. They held the Panthers to only 9 turnovers throughout the game.

NKU was particularly effective at capitalizing on the Panthers’ mistakes, leading the points off turnovers battle 20-11.

Overall, NKU’s performance was impressive, especially considering the unexpected margin of victory. Their offense effectively exploited a struggling Panther defense, which has allowed teams to score freely throughout the season. Moreover, NKU’s defense played a crucial role in limiting Milwaukee, a team that ranks 40th in the nation for rebounding, particularly on the offensive glass.

Lastly, NKU took exceptional care of the ball, mitigating one of Milwaukee’s key strengths, as the Panthers rank 11th in the country in that category.

During this four-game winning streak, NKU has demonstrated versatility, with different players stepping up to contribute. This bodes well for their Horizon League championship aspirations in March!

Key Performances:

Kael Robinson’s career night led the way with a 29 point, 7 rebound performance in which he added a steal and just 2 turnovers. All 9 of his field goals came from deep tonight, which ties him with Tyler Sharpe for the record set in 2020.

Donovan Oday added in 21 points, including a 3-5 performance from deep. DO added 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals and a turnover in his 23 minutes.

The third Norse in double figures was Tae Dozier who notched a double double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. He helped distribute the ballwith 4 assists to just 1 turnover. He added a blocked shot as well.

Those three performances were more than enough to compensate for the poor night from Dan Gherezghe, who went 2-16/0-12 and had just 6 points. He has 3 boards and 4 assists. He turned it over twice.

8 total Norse players scored tonight, and overall, it was a really solid night where the Norse didn’t have to overextend their minutes as they start a brutal schedule the next 10 days.

Final Thoughts: NKU appears to have turned a corner and is moving up the rankings in the Horizon League rapidly. The Norse currently sit half a game outside of first place with Wright State and Oakland both being 5-1 currently.

Photos Courtesy of NKU Athletics