NKyTribune staff
Northern Kentucky University hits the road for a pair of Horizon League games this week, beginning with a Thursday night showdown at 7 p.m. against Oakland in Rochester, Mich.
The Norse conclude the two-game road trip Saturday with a 1 p.m. contest at Detroit Mercy.
NKU is 12-3 overall, 2-0 in the Horizon League. Oakland is 6-9 overall, but the Golden Grizzlies are 2-0 in the Horizon League.
Drew McDonald leads four Norse averaging double digits on the year at 18.7 points per game. He also paces NKU at 10.4 rebounds per game (13th in nation). His eight double-doubles rank fifth nationally, and he is one of just 16 players to register a triple-double this season.
McDonald registered 19 points and a career-high 20 rebounds against Illinois-Chicago, marking the first time since Dec. 18, 1972, that a Norse posted a 20-rebound outing (16,813 days). The Cold Spring native has registered a double-double in four straight games, and in his last 22 games against Horizon League opponents, dating back to March 17, 2017, he has posted a double-double 16 times.
McDonald is one of five active players in Division I basketball with at least 1,700 career points (1,712) and 900 career boards (918).
Jalen Tate averages 12.9 points, 4.3 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. He is converting 54.7 percent (47-of-86) of his shots and 38.9 percent (7-of-18) of his 3-pointers. Tate scored a career-high 25 points against UIC, including 22 in the first half. He also dished out six assists.
Tyler Sharpe is second on the team in scoring, pouring in 13.5 points per game. Dantez Walton is averaging 11.9 points and 6.0 rebounds. In his first two seasons as a Norse (61 games), he posted nine combined double-figure scoring games. He already has 12 double-digit scoring outputs this season.
Oakland, along with NKU, is among four Horizon League teams still unscathed in the loss column, sporting a 2-0 mark after defeating Cleveland State (89-77) and Youngstown State (76-74) on the road last weekend. Xavier Hill-Mais leads the Golden Grizzlies, scoring at a clip of 21.8 points per game.
Oakland, which averages 77.9 ppg as a team, also gets double-digit scoring production from Jaevin Cumberlin, who checks in at 16.5 ppg. Opponents average 79.9 points against Oakland. The Golden Grizzlies are 3-3 at home this season but have not played at the Blacktop at the O’Rena since November.
Thursday, Jan. 3
Blacktop at the O’Rena (4,000), Rochester, Mich.
NKU (12-3, 2-0 HL) at Oakland (6-9, 2-0 HL), 7 p.m.
NKU Radio: FOXSports 1360 (1360 AM)
Series Record: OU leads, 9-10
Last Meeting: OU 83, NKU 70 (Jan. 26, 2018)
(Information compiled from NKU Athletics Communications and staff reports)