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Northern Kentucky Basketball: Norse greatly improved this season

By Doug Winkey

Dec 23, 2016; Morgantown, WV, USA; Northern Kentucky Norse forward Drew McDonald (34) boxes out West Virginia Mountaineers forward Nathan Adrian (11) during the second half at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 23, 2016; Morgantown, WV, USA; Northern Kentucky Norse forward Drew McDonald (34) boxes out West Virginia Mountaineers forward Nathan Adrian (11) during the second half at WVU Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Ben Queen-USA TODAY Sports /
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Few pay attention to the Horizon League and Northern Kentucky basketball.

Northern Kentucky basketball has really shown up this season. The 19-10 Norse have improved by 10 wins compared to last year and have two games left. They are fourth in the Horizon League this year and it isn’t impossible to see NKU making one of the lower-tier tournaments at this point. How has the Highland Heights-based program turned things around?

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First is forward Drew McDonald’s development. The 6’7″, 250 pound forward has increased his scoring from 10.5 points to 15.9 points and rebounding from 6.2 to 7.6. His production has helped make up for the loss of last season’s two leading scorers. McDonald has also become more of an outside threat with 39 made threes on 39 percent shooting.

The second thing I want to highlight is the team’s youth. Cole Murray is the only senior and there are just three juniors on scholarship. Two freshmen have played a big role in NKU’s turnaround. Mason Faulkner and former Kentucky Mr. Basketball Carson Williams are the fourth and fifth leading scorers, respectively.  Williams has been the more productive of the two as he is averaging 10.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. He also shoots well from the floor at 59 percent. Those two will be a big part of next year’s rotation and potential success, but there will be questions surrounding the dreaded “sophomore slump”.

The one thing the Norse lack is size, but that will change next year with 7’0″ Kentucky native Chris Vogt. The three-star center is currently the 6th best player in The Bluegrass State and the 31st best center overall on 247Sports. Vogt is having a great senior year in high school and could step in immediately as a big presence down low. They currently have one more scholarship for another freshman or potential transfer.

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Coach Brannen should win the Horizon League COY this season with the turnaround and he has the Norse in a great spot for next year. Valparaiso, Oakland and Green Bay all lose multiple contributors, so NKU will be a contender next year if their young guys take steps forward. A lot can happen when sophomores are a big part of a rotation, but I think this team is going to be fun to watch next season.