By Don Owen
NKyTribune reporter
He knocks down shots from 30 feet, buries mid-range jumpers with defenders draped all over him, and fiercely attacks the rim when the opportunity presents itself.
Whether it be from long range or powering his way to the hoop, Oakland’s Kendrick Nunn can flat-out score the basketball.
Nunn’s 26.4 points per game is No. 2 in the nation, trailing only Oklahoma freshman Trae Young’s 30.3 points per contest. The 6-foot-3 Nunn has scored at least 30 points eight times this season, including a 32-point outburst against nationally ranked Michigan State.
But no one is surprised by Nunn’s penchant for producing points. A three-year standout at Illinois, Nunn became a member of the Illini’s 1,000-point club before a misdemeanor battery charge resulted in his dismissal from the program two years ago.
The beneficiary has been Oakland, which was voted the preseason favorite to win the Horizon League championship. The Golden Grizzlies have suddenly caught fire, winning four straight games and now standing 13-8 overall, 5-3 in the Horizon League.
Nunn has drained 91 shots from 3-point range this season to rank No. 1 nationally in that category, and he also leads the Golden Grizzlies with 28 steals. His 42.3 percent accuracy from beyond the arc tops the Horizon League, and he is No. 5 in free-throw shooting at .828.
Oakland head coach Greg Kampe, whose program sent standout guard Kay Felder to the NBA in 2016, said Nunn is “the most talented player I’ve ever coached,” and for good reason. During a recent game at Illinois-Chicago, NBA scouts were in attendance to watch Nunn weave his offensive magic. He rewarded them by pouring in 32 points and leading Oakland to a 78-68 victory over the Flames.
Oakland features three of the Horizon League’s top scorers, as senior forward Jalen Hayes is No. 2 at 19.5 points per game, and teammate Martez Walker is netting 18.6 ppg. The Golden Grizzlies also have 6-8 defensive stalwart Isaiah Brock, who has blocked 59 shots this season.
That will make NKU’s task difficult Friday night, when the Norse play host to Oakland at BB&T Arena.
Junior forward Drew McDonald leads NKU in both scoring (16.8 ppg) and rebounding (8.5 rpg). McDonald has made 85.1 percent of his free throws and notched eight double-doubles this season. The Newport Central Catholic graduate has netted 1,222 career points and collected 24 double-doubles in three seasons.
Senior guard Lavone Holland II is scoring 13.8 points per game and is No. 2 in the Horizon League in assists (5.1 apg). Holland, who also joined the Norse’s 1,000-point club earlier this season, has made a team-leading 40 shots from 3-point range and averages 4.4 rebounds per contest. He is also shooting 82 percent from the free-throw line.
Holland nearly recorded a triple-double during NKU’s win at Milwaukee last week, finishing with 19 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. Craig Conley is the only player in Norse history to collected a triple-double, that coming on Feb. 3, 2001, when he scored 24 points, dished out 11 assists and grabbed 10 rebounds in a road game at Lewis.
Carson Williams leads the Horizon League in shooting from the field (.630) and averages 13.9 points per game. Williams is second on the team in rebounding (5.5 rpg).
NKU’s defense is tops in the Horizon League, allowing the opposition to shoot just 41.7 percent from the field. Freshman guard Jalen Tate leads the Norse in both steals (31) and blocked shots (14). Tate is also scoring 6.1 points per game.
Oakland has won both times it visited BB&T Arena, posting an 85-74 victory in 2016 and following that with a 79-70 triumph last season. The all-time series between NKU and Oakland is tied at 9-all.
Earlier this season on Jan. 5, NKU rallied in the second half to post an 87-83 win at Oakland. Williams led the Norse with 21 points, while Holland added 19. Jeff Garrett came of the bench and scored 11 points for NKU.
Nunn scored a game-high 24 points to lead Oakland, and Walker added 19 points.
WHAT: Oakland (13-8, 5-3 HL) at Northern Kentucky (14-6, 7-1 HL)
WHEN: Friday, Jan. 26, 9 p.m.
WHERE: Highland Heights, Ky.
ARENA: BB&T Arena (9,400 capacity)
TV: ESPNU
RADIO: ESPN 1530
SERIES: Tied, 9-9