2016-17 Northern Kentucky Men's Basketball Notes
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2016-17 NORTHERN KENTUCKY MEN’S BASKETBALL NOTES No. 15 Northern Kentucky vs. No. 2 Kentucky Schedule No. 15 Northern Kentucky University Norse (24-10 Overall, 12-6 Horizon League, Horizon Champions) Date Opponent Time (ET)/Result No. 2 University of Kentucky Wildcats (29-5 Overall, 16-2 SEC, SEC Champions) November Friday, March 17 - 9:40 p.m. (ET) Bankers Life Fieldhouse (18,165) in Indianapolis, Ind. 4 Wilmington (Exh.) W, 102-54 TV: CBS w/ Jim Nantz, Grant Hill, Bill Raftery & Tracy Wolfson (sideline) 11 Earlham W, 96-56 Radio: 55KRC (550 AM) w/ Andrew Kappes (play-by-play) & Steve Moeller (analysis) 13 at Illinois L, 64-79 Westwood One (Sirius 134, XM 201, Online 961) w/ Chris Carrino (play-by-play) & Jim Jackson (analysis) 18 vs. Austin Peay^ L, 69-77 19 vs. Delaware^ W, 74-53 20 at Miami (Ohio)^ W, 79-70 Last Game Starters 26 North Carolina Central L, 74-82 30 at Morehead State W, 84-79 1 23 25 30 34 December NKU NORSE NKU 3 at Norfolk State W, 72-61 7 Eastern Illinois W, 80-70 10 at Southeast Missouri State W, 80-66 18 Eastern Washington W, 70-48 21 Brescia W, 97-73 23 at No. 11/13 West Virginia L, 61-92 29 at Detroit Mercy* W, 81-70 Jordan Carson Cole Lavone Drew 31 at Oakland* L, 65-76 Garnett Williams Murray Holland II McDonald January Jr. Fr. Sr. Jr. So. 5 Youngstown State* W, 83-70 4.8 PPG 10.5 PPG 10.2 PPG 14.3 PPG 16.4 PPG 7 Cleveland State* W, 83-75 3.2 RPG 5.8 RPG 3.2 RPG 2.8 RPG 7.7 RPG 10 at Green Bay * L, 71-80 1.5 APG 59.7% FG 40.6% 3FG 4.1 APG 1.7 APG 12 at Milwaukee* L, 58-68 20 Oakland* L, 70-79 Fast-Break Points 22 Detroit Mercy* W, 101-87 27 at UIC* W, 79-62 Northern Kentucky Points 29 at Valparaiso* L, 58-65 • NKU earned the No. 15 seed in the South Region and will play No. 2-seed Kentucky in the opening round February of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship in Indianapolis on Friday. 4 at Wright State* W, 83-79 • The matchup marks the second time the two teams have faced one another in NKU’s Division I-era, with 9 Green Bay* W, 69-67 the Wildcats defeating the Norse 93-63 on Nov. 10, 2013 at Rupp Arena. 11 Milwaukee* W, 69-63 • After a four-year reclassification process, NKU became eligible to compete for a berth in the NCAA tour- 16 at Cleveland State* W, 62-60 ney after receiving active status from the NCAA in August 2016. 18 at Youngstown State* L, 77-81 • By virtue of it’s Horizon League Championship on March 7, NKU earned the League’s automatic berth 21 Wright State* W, 83-76 into the NCAA Tournament, becoming just the seventh institution to earn a berth in its first season eligible. 24 UIC* W, 90-82 • NKU has won six-straight games and 12 of its last 14. 26 Valparaiso* W, 82-78 • NKU sits at 24-10 and has established a new Division I-era record for victories, topping the 13 recorded March in the 2014-15 season as a member of the Atlantic Sun. 5 No. 5 Wright State & W, 82-77 • NKU’s 24 wins are 15 more than it had last year, a turnaround that is the second-best in the nation based 6 No. 9 Youngstown State & W, 84-74 solely on wins. According to the NCAA, which also considers losses, NKU is third at plus-13. 7 No. 10 Milwaukee & W, 59-53 • NKU reached a program-best No. 87 in the March 14 RPI release. 17 No. 2 Kentucky $ 9:40 p.m. • The 70-point plateau is key for NKU. Northern Kentucky is 20-4 when scoring at least 70 points and 14-2 when holding opponents to 70 or fewer points. ^ Tarkett Sports Classic (Oxford, Ohio) • NKU has eight players who set foot on a DI collegiate basketball court for the first time this year. Accord- * Horizon League Contest ing to KenPom.com, the average experience for the Norse this year is 1.30 years, which is 292nd. & Horizon League Championship in Detroit, Mich. $ NCAA Championship (Indianapolis, Ind.) Norse Points • G Lavone Holland II was named the Horizon League Tournament MVP after averaging 18.7 points, 3.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game in the tourney. • Holland has averaged 18.5 points and 6.2 assists per game during the last six games, helping NKU to six-straight wins. He is second on the team at 14.3 ppg, but has a team-high 141 assists. ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS • Second-year head coach John Brannen was named Horizon League Coach of the Year after leading the Norse to 21 regular-season wins, third-place league finish and Horizon League tourney championship. Assistant AD for Communications: • F Drew McDonald was named to the all-Horizon league first, all-academic and all-tourney teams. He Bryan McEldowney averaged 16.0 points and 9.0 rebounds per game in the Horizon League Tournament. Email: [email protected] • McDonald has a team-high 11 double-doubles on the year, and leads NKU in Office Phone: (859) 572-5470 scoring (16.4) and rebounding (7.7). • F Carson Williams was named to the Horizon League All-Freshman Team Cell Phone: (937) 478-5027 after collecting a league-best four freshman of the week honors, including the Fax: (859) 572-7956 last two of the regular-season. He is third on the team in scoring (10.5) and Best Time to Reach Coach: second in rebounding (5.8). Contact Bryan McEldowney • F Cole Murray is fourth on the team in scoring at 10.2 ppg, ranks No. 25 na- tionally with 99 made threes this year and No. 35 in 3-point shooting percent, Director of Comm. (Video): Brad Pope converting 40.6 percent. He has made a triple in 32-of-34 games. Asst. Athletic Comm. Dir.: Chloe Smith Athletic Comm. GA: Melissa Powell 2016-17 NKU MEN’S BASKETBALL GAME NOTES NORTHERN KENTUCKY MEN’S BASKETBALL ROSTER AND PRONUNCIATION GUIDE Alphabetical No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown/High School/Previous School 20 Nick Ayers G 6-3 190 Jr. Independence, Ky./Simon Kenton 10 Tre Cobbs G 5-10 185 Fr. Lima, Ohio/Lima Central Catholic 11 Mason Faulkner G 6-1 165 Fr. Glasgow, Ky./Caverna 1 Jordan Garnett F 6-5 220 Jr. Indianapolis, Ind./Warren Central 4 Jeff Garrett F 6-6 220 R-So. Gadsden, Ala./Oldsmar Christian School (Fla.)/Alabama 13 Brennan Gillis F 6-7 215 So. Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis 30 Lavone Holland II G 6-1 185 Jr. Louisville, Ky./Ballard/Coffeyville CC 2 Brandon Maxwell G 6-2 190 So. Orlando, Fla./Orlando Christian Prep/Daytona State CC 34 Drew McDonald F/C 6-7 250 So. Cold Spring, Ky./Newport Central Catholic 25 Cole Murray G 6-7 210 Sr. Delphi, Ind./Delphi 22 Matt Rosenwinkel G 6-2 230 Sr. Rochelle, Ill./Rochelle Township 5 Jalen Tate F 6-5 170 Fr. Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington Central 32 Dantez Walton G 6-5 205 Fr. Lima, Ohio/Lima Central Catholic 23 Carson Williams F 6-5 230 Fr. Owenton, Ky./Owen County Numerical No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown/High School/Previous School 1 Jordan Garnett F 6-5 220 Jr. Indianapolis, Ind./Warren Central 2 Brandon Maxwell G 6-2 190 So. Orlando, Fla./Orlando Christian Prep/Daytona State CC 4 Jeff Garrett F 6-6 220 R-So. Gadsden, Ala./Oldsmar Christian School (Fla.)/Alabama 5 Jalen Tate F 6-5 170 Fr. Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington Central 10 Tre Cobbs G 5-10 185 Fr. Lima, Ohio/Lima Central Catholic 11 Mason Faulkner G 6-1 165 Fr. Glasgow, Ky./Caverna 13 Brennan Gillis F 6-7 215 So. Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis 20 Nick Ayers G 6-3 190 Jr. Independence, Ky./Simon Kenton 22 Matt Rosenwinkel G 6-2 230 Sr. Rochelle, Ill./Rochelle Township 23 Carson Williams F 6-5 230 Fr. Owenton, Ky./Owen County 25 Cole Murray G 6-7 210 Sr. Delphi, Ind./Delphi 30 Lavone Holland II G 6-1 185 Jr. Louisville, Ky./Ballard/Coffeyville CC 32 Dantez Walton G 6-5 205 Fr. Lima, Ohio/Lima Central Catholic 34 Drew McDonald F/C 6-7 250 So. Cold Spring, Ky./Newport Central Catholic Staff Head Coach John Brannen (2nd Season, Marshall ‘97) Assistant Coach Sean Dwyer (2nd Season, Michigan State ‘09) Assistant Coach Tim Morris (1st Season, Stanford ‘08) Assistant Coach Chris Shumate (1st Season, Murray State ‘04) Dir. of Basketball Ops. Tony Rack (2nd Season, Northern Kentucky ‘12) Video Coordinator McIntyre Webb (1st Season, Michigan State ‘14) Graduate Assistant Kellen Smith (Saginaw Valley State, ‘16) Strength & Conditioning Coach Brian Boos Associate AD for Sports Med. Molly Woods 2016-17 HORIZON LEAGUE STANDINGS PRONUNCIATION GUIDE School Conference Overall Oakland 14-4 25-8 Tre Cobbs ........................................................................................... TRAY Valparaiso 14-4 24-9 Lavone Holland II ........................................................................ luh-VONN Matt Rosenwinkel ...........................................................ROSE-en-wink-uhl Northern Kentucky 12-6 24-10 Dantez Walton ............................................................................... DAN-tez Green Bay 12-6 18-13 Wright State 11-7 20-12 UIC 7-11 15-18 Detroit Mercy 6-12 8-23 PRESEASON ALL-HORIZON LEAGUE HONORS Youngstown State 5-13 13-21 First Team Cleveland State 5-13 9-22 Alec Peters F Sr.