By Don Owen
NKyTribune reporter
On the road against Horizon League opponents, Northern Kentucky University is perfect this season. The Norse are 6-0 as the visiting team on the scoreboard in league games, winning by an average margin of 12 points per contest.
At home, it’s been a different story. The Norse have dropped two games and own a 4-2 mark at BB&T Arena. That should provide plenty of encouragement for Milwaukee on Thursday night when the Panthers visit NKU for a 7:30 p.m. contest at BB&T Arena.
Milwaukee is 4-1 since that loss to NKU and features a pair of outstanding guards in Jeremiah Bell (13.6 points per game) and Brock Stull (13.4 ppg). Bell and Stull have each made 56 shots from 3-point range, giving Milwaukee an effective outside game. Stull has also dished out 74 assists and averages 5.0 rebounds per contest.
The Milwaukee inside attack features 6-foot-7 Bryce Nze (10.4 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 35 blocks) and 6-foot-9 Brett Prahl (9.1 ppg, 38 blocks). Nze is shooting 59.4 percent from the field, while Prahl has converted 62 percent of his attempts. Nze scored a career-high 25 points against Green Bay last Friday and also hauled in 10 rebounds.
NKU is tied with Wright State for first place in the Horizon League standings with a 10-2 record. The Norse (17-7 overall) just completed a two-game road sweep of Youngstown State (95-85) and Cleveland State (78-61) to pull even with Wright State in the standings.
NKU’s Drew McDonald averaged 22.5 points and 11.5 rebounds per game in those two wins and was named Horizon League Player of the Week on Monday. He shot 74 percent (17-for-23) from the floor and 50 percent (3-of-6) from 3-point range, while also averaging five assists.
McDonald is averaging 17.1 points and 9.0 rebounds per game. The junior forward has recorded a Horizon League-best 11 double-doubles this season and 27 in his career. He finished with 19 points, seven rebounds and a career-high seven assists in the win at Cleveland State on Saturday.
NKU shot 11-for-19 from 3-point range on Saturday, with Tyler Sharpe knocking down four treys. Mason Faulkner and Lavone Holland II each made a trio of 3-pointers in that victory. Holland finished with 21 points, while Faulkner was perfect (5-for-5) from the field and added 14 points.
NKU will conclude the homestand Saturday at 7 p.m. against Green Bay at BB&T Arena. Saturday will also be NKU’s 2018 homecoming game.
WHAT: Milwaukee (13-13, 6-7 HL) at Northern Kentucky (17-7, 10-2 HL)
WHEN: Thursday, Feb. 8, 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Highland Heights, Ky.
ARENA: BB&T Arena (9,400 capacity)
TV: ESPN3
RADIO: Fox Sports 1360
SERIES: NKU leads, 4-3
Contact Don Owen at don@nkytrib.com and follow him on Twitter at @dontribunesport