This weekend could be painful for Northern Kentucky University. It goes with the territory in college basketball when three or four freshmen are seeing extensive playing time. That’s why they call it growing pains.
The pain ramps up several notches when youthful teams face battled-tested squads with veteran leadership. That’s what NKU (2-3 overall) is up against on both Saturday and Sunday, when unbeaten Youngstown State (3-0) visits BB&T Arena to open up Horizon League action.
Yes, that’s not a typo. The Horizon League is playing two-game weekend series this season as a result of the pandemic. Instead of a day off between games, it’s back-to-back, and against the same opponent. That’s painful in itself. So is the fact fans will not be in attendance at BB&T Arena.
But the real issue for NKU is the experience of Youngstown State. The Penguins return four starters from last season’s 18-15 team, including All-Horizon League guard Darius Quisenberry and inside force Naz Bohannon. They also welcome back veterans such as Garrett Covington, Michael Akuchie and Christian Bentley — all seniors.
Quisenberry is averaging 19.5 points, while Bohannon leads Youngstown State in both scoring (22.5 ppg) and rebounding (8.0 rpg). Quisenberry has the ability to be an explosive scorer, as evidenced by his 41-point outburst against Wright State last season. The 6-foot-6, 228-pound Bohannon has made 63.3 percent of his shots from the field and is one of the best inside performers in the Horizon League.
Akuchie is scoring 10.7 points per contest, while Covington chips in 8.0 ppg and 5.3 rebounds per game. Freshman guard Shemar Rathan-Mayes averages 14.0 points and has drained a team-leading eight shots from 3-point range.
Youngstown State is 3-0, but the wins are against Point Park, Binghamton and West Virginia Tech. The Penguins actually rallied from a 43-37 halftime deficit against West Virginia Tech — an NAIA program — to pull out an 80-66 victory on Monday night.
NKU’s 2-3 record has come against a tough schedule. The Norse have not played a non-Division I opponent. They have instead faced the likes of Dayton, Kent State, Ball State, Chattanooga and Tennessee Tech.
The growing pains associated with playing freshmen have resulted in a three-game losing streak for NKU entering Saturday. But that rugged schedule has also allowed the Norse rookies to experience college basketball at a higher level instead of rolling to 50-point wins against lesser competition.
That face alone should make NKU a better team by March.
NKU fans should be encouraged by the freshmen. Marques Warrick has earned Horizon League Freshman of the Week honors twice and averages 10.2 points per contest. The Henry Clay High School graduate has started three times and averages 24.2 minutes per game.
The Norse’s David Böhm was named Horizon League Freshman of the Week this past Monday after pouring in a career-best 19 points against Kent State. That’s the same Kent State team that took 15th-ranked Virginia into overtime earlier this season. The 6-foot-9 Böhm, who has shown a variety of moves with his ability to take opponents off the dribble, is averaging 9.8 points per contest.
NKU’s Trey Robinson is another freshman making an immediate impact. The 6-foot-6 Robinson averages 8.0 points per contest and is playing 23.6 minutes each game.
While the rookies adjust to college basketball, NKU veterans such as Trevon Faulkner, Adrian Nelson and Bryson Langdon have provided leadership and toughness in the pre-conference schedule. Faulkner scored a career-high 28 points against Kent State and has emerged as an intense leader on the court.
Already known as an outstanding defender going into the season, Faulkner leads NKU in scoring at 17.4 points per game. The Mercer County High School graduate also tops the Norse in steals (11), free throws made (22) and free throws attempted (34). And don’t forget the fact Faulkner is No. 2 on the team with 16 assists.
The 6-foot-7 Nelson is the chairman of the boards in Highland Heights, averaging 12.4 rebounds per contest. Nelson is also scoring 8.8 points per game and shooting 58.3 percent from the field.
Langdon runs the show at the point and leads NKU with 20 assists. He also has a knack for hitting clutch shots and averages 8.8 points per game.
For NKU to capture its third consecutive Horizon League championship, though, other veterans need to step up. So do transfers such as guard Carlos Hines — who played his first game of the season against Kent State — and Darius Harding, who averaged 19.3 points in junior college but has so far been a non-factor at NKU.
Don’t forget the fact Jalen Tate — who is averaging 10.5 points per game at unbeaten Arkansas — was expected to be a redshirt senior at NKU this season. Tate would have been the undisputed leader of the team had he not chosen the graduate transfer option. That was a huge loss for NKU.
In the meantime, the NKU freshmen are learning the nuances of the college game. The Horizon League did NKU no favors by having the Norse open up against an experienced, talented team like Youngstown State.
A split this weekend would be acceptable — even though Youngstown State hasn’t beaten NKU since Feb. 18, 2017. The Norse have a seven-game winning streak against the Penguins since then, including a 61-59 victory in the most recent meeting last February at Youngstown, Ohio.
The heroes for NKU in that most recent win at Youngstown State? Dantez Walton, Tate and Tyler Sharpe combined for 50 of the Norse’s 61 points. Needless to say, those three standouts are no longer at NKU.
That’s why this weekend could be painful for NKU fans. It’s called growing pains.
Don Owen is sports editor of the Northern Kentucky Tribune. Contact him at don@nkytrib.com and follow him on Twitter at @dontribunesport.