Extended Scoring Droughts End Northern Kentucky's Season in Cleveland

Norse Illustrated was on-site for this tightly contested Horizon League Tournament matchup, where Cleveland State held off Northern Kentucky, 68-63, at the Wolstein Center. The game showcased a tale of two halves, with Cleveland State asserting dominance early before NKU clawed back in the second half, ultimately falling short. The Vikings' superior efficiency from the field and free-throw line proved to be the deciding factor.

First Half: Cleveland State Controls the Tempo

• Strong Opening by CSU: Cleveland State jumped out to an early lead, scoring efficiently in the paint while NKU struggled with shooting.
• Dylan Arnett’s Presence: Arnett dominated inside, contributing key rebounds and putbacks to extend CSU’s lead.
• Shooting Woes for NKU: The Norse struggled from the field, shooting just 27.8% in the first half.
• Late Surge from NKU: A late three-pointer from Sam Vinson brought NKU within six points (33-27) heading into halftime.

Second Half: NKU's Fightback Falls Short

• Hot Start by NKU: The Norse opened the half with a three-pointer, quickly narrowing the deficit.
• Keeyan Itejere’s Inside Play: The NKU big man made crucial baskets to keep his team within striking distance.
• Cleveland State’s Free Throws: Despite not making a single three in the second half, CSU stayed ahead by converting 15 of 18 free throws.
• NKU’s Late Push: Back-to-back threes from Dan Gherezgher and Josh Dilling cut the lead to three points in the final minute.
• Clutch FT Shooting by CSU: Tevin Smith and Chase Robinson sealed the game at the line, preventing an NKU comeback.

Closing Summary

Cleveland State’s ability to control the tempo early and execute from the free-throw line late proved to be the difference. Northern Kentucky battled back with improved shooting in the second half but couldn’t overcome their early struggles. Despite an admirable defensive effort and a resilient push in the closing moments, the Norse fell just short. CSU's efficiency in key moments helped them advance while NKU is left wondering what could have been had they started stronger offensively.

Key Players

Northern Kentucky (NKU)

• Dan Gherezgher – 37 MIN, 18 PTS, 7-15 FG, 4-8 3PT, 4 REB, 1 STL
• Keeyan Itejere – 23 MIN, 13 PTS, 6-8 FG, 8 REB, 1 BLK
• Josh Dilling – 37 MIN, 9 PTS, 3-13 FG, 3-11 3PT, 4 REB, 2 AST
• Sam Vinson – 37 MIN, 7 PTS, 2-10 FG, 1-4 3PT, 6 AST, 3 STL
• LJ Wells – 26 MIN, 10 PTS, 2-8 FG, 6-7 FT, 10 REB, 3 STL
• Trey Robinson – 31 MIN, 6 PTS, 2-9 FG, 2-3 3PT, 2 REB, 2 AST, 3 TO, 2 PF

Cleveland State (CSU)

• Dylan Arnett – 37 MIN, 16 PTS, 7-14 FG, 10 REB, 4 AST, 4 BLK
• Tevin Smith – 24 MIN, 16 PTS, 4-9 FG, 8-8 FT, 4 REB, 1 STL
• Isaac Abidde – 21 MIN, 8 PTS, 3-4 FG, 2-2 FT, 3 REB, 1 BLK
• Je'Shawn Stevenson – 20 MIN, 9 PTS, 4-6 FG, 1-2 3PT, 3 STL
• Chase Robinson – 21 MIN, 7 PTS, 2-6 FG, 3-4 FT, 2 AST, 1 STL

Team Comparison

Scoring Droughts

Northern Kentucky started the game shooting just 2-for-12 from the field. However, they bounced back in the late stages of the first half, making 5 of their final 9 shots to pull within six points. Given how poorly NKU played in the first half, it seemed like they couldn’t have had a worse stretch of basketball. However, considering their struggles, they had to feel fortunate to be down by just six points. Josh Dilling and Trey Robinson combined for 0 points in the first half on a combined 0-for-11.

The only efficient scorers in the game were Keeyan Itejere, who converted high-percentage looks at the rim, and Dan Gherezgher, who provided much-needed shooting and clutch three pointers. Despite their slow start and underwhelming first half, Northern Kentucky opened the second half with momentum, hitting three of their first four shots, including two three-pointers—one from Josh Dilling and another from Dan Gherezgher. This quick scoring burst cut Cleveland State’s lead to 35-33 within the first two minutes of the half.

The Norse finally tied the game at 40-40 after Trey Robinson’s first basket of the night. Unfortunately for NKU, this marked the beginning of an extended field goal drought. The offensive possessions following Trey’s three unfolded as follows:

• Turnover
• Turnover
• Missed three-pointers by Dilling and then Gherezgher after an offensive rebound
• Keeyan Itejere goes 1-for-2 at the free-throw line
• Turnover
• Vinson misses a floater
• Vinson forced to take a deep 28-foot three as the shot clock expires
• Robinson lowers his shoulder into Franklin, leading to an offensive foul
• Turnover
• Turnover
• Robinson misses a shot at the rim
• Dilling finally ends the drought with a three-pointer at 5:50, cutting the deficit to 54-44

Six turnovers during an 8+ minute field goal drought completely shifted the momentum of the game in Cleveland State’s favor.

Clawing Back Late

Despite trailing by their largest margin of the game—13 points with seven minutes remaining—NKU began mounting a comeback attempt. Robinson knocked down his second and final three-pointer of the game from the corner, cutting the deficit to six points with three minutes to play. The Norse forced some tough missed shots and turnovers from the Vikings, but the biggest defensive lapse came with 1:30 left in the game, as they trailed by four.

NKU applied heavy pressure, forcing Cleveland State to work hard to get the ball across half court. With Robinson pressuring the ball and Wells guarding Arnett on the perimeter, the paint was left unprotected. This allowed Tevin Smith to slip away from Gherezgher, who was focused on the ball, leading to an uncontested dunk. Unfortunately, Gherezgher committed a costly mistake during a one-and-one free throw attempt by Arnett, jumping into the lane early as Arnett missed the shot.

The Norse trailed by six points with under a minute remaining but managed to cut the deficit to three points with 21 seconds left. However, CSU remained steady at the free-throw line, converting their chances to seal the victory.

Finishing in the Paint

The biggest deciding factor in this game was Cleveland State’s ability to finish in the paint, while Northern Kentucky struggled in that area. Cleveland State outscored Northern Kentucky 42-24 in points in the paint. The Vikings also shot 53.5% on two-point attempts, while NKU managed just 32.4%.

Dylan Arnett played a key role in Cleveland State’s dominance inside. He got off to a fast start, scoring eight points on 4-of-7 shooting. His patience and soft touch in the paint were evident throughout the game.

Cleveland State's defense all night made it very difficult to score for the Norse. They played man-to-man all game and had the length and athleticism to make it very difficult for NKU in the paint. Northern Kentucky switched between fist and man all night, but both provided around 1.00 points per possession against the Vikings.

Gherezgher's Close to the Season

Dan Gherezgher was expected to be NKU’s starting point guard from the beginning. After an impressive offseason, he opened the season in the starting role. However, early-season turnover struggles led to a reduced role, with Gherezgher experiencing stretches where he did not play or played fewer than five minutes.

Northern Kentucky’s late-season resurgence closely coincided with Gherezgher’s return to the starting lineup. Over the final 11 games with Dan starting again, he averaged 16 points, 3.5 assists, and just 2 turnovers per game. During that stretch, NKU’s offense surged, averaging 79 points per game, compared to 67 points per game over their first 11 league games.

Gherezgher’s scoring impact was immediate, helping NKU establish offensive rhythm for the first time all season. His elite ability to finish around the rim and score off-balance transformed NKU’s offense, creating better shot opportunities for teammates like Josh Dilling.

Gherezgher gave NKU a chance to win at Cleveland State and if you are a Norse fan, you have to hope that he comes back for another year at NKU. He has the potential to be a First-Team All-Horizon League selection—and possibly even a Player of the Year candidate—if he can sustain the level of play he displayed over the final month of the season.

Thank you everyone for following along! Norse Illustrated got started with a win against Cleveland State, but the season ends at the hand of the Vikings. A big offseason is ahead for the Norse, and I will be covering every move, with the Transfer Portal opening on March 24th.