Foster’s Big Debut Powers NKU Past UTEP 84-76 in Field of 68 Marathon

Northern Kentucky opened its season as part of the Field of 68’s 24-hour opening-day marathon, and Willie Foster wasted little time making an impression. Foster’s 24 points and 10 rebounds, paired with a double-double from Noah Pagotto, helped the Norse overcome a cold shooting night from three and hold off UTEP for an 84-76 win. Here’s how NKU got it done.

First Half

Foster Provides the Early Spark

NKU went to Eric Acker on a baseline out of bounds play on its opening possession, and the veteran guard delivered the first basket of the season. The teams traded scores early, but Willie Foster quickly gave the Norse a spark on both ends.

When UTEP doubled Noah Pagotto in the post, he found Foster for a three. On the next possession, Foster came up with a steal and finished with a dunk to put NKU ahead 9-5. His quickness continued to create problems for the Miners, including a drive from the top of the key where he blew past his defender to finish at the rim. Foster scored 11 of NKU’s first 19 points.

UTEP looked to establish its size inside, but a 3 for 12 shooting start kept the Miners from taking advantage of some early NKU mistakes. The Norse turned it over on three straight possessions heading into the first media timeout, interrupting an otherwise encouraging offensive start.

New Faces Contribute as UTEP Finds Its Footing

B.J. Davis-Ray’s first points in an NKU uniform came through extra effort, following a miss for a putback that stretched the lead to 17-11. Pagotto added a soft baseline touch for his first field goal as a Norse, then finished one of NKU’s prettiest possessions of the half.

Juanma Ruiz caught the ball in the corner, used a pump fake and delivered a wraparound pass to Pagotto underneath for a score. It was a highlight in Ruiz’s first minutes of his college career and gave NKU a 25-21 advantage.

The Miners kept answering. Their interior scoring began to come together, and timely threes from Jace Whiting and Cam McDaniels tightened the game. The lead changed hands repeatedly, with Foster briefly putting NKU back in front before McDaniels answered from deep. Davis-Ray responded with a three of his own, but the Norse struggled to string together enough clean possessions to create separation.

After Davis-Ray’s third turnover, UTEP found Youssouf Traore inside for a finish and a 33-30 lead. Darrin Horn called timeout with 5:14 remaining to regroup.

Acker and Shortt Help NKU Finish in Front

Acker answered after the timeout with a floater off another baseline out of bounds action, but the final minutes remained a back-and-forth fight. Pagotto finished inside off a feed from Donovan Rakotonanahary, and Davis-Ray added a jumper to push NKU ahead 36-35 before UTEP reclaimed the lead.

Will Shortt then made his first scoring contributions as a Norse at the free throw line. He knocked down two with 1:01 remaining to put NKU back in front, then added two more with 42 seconds left. Acker supplied the final basket with one second remaining, sending the Norse into halftime ahead 42-38.

Foster led NKU with 13 points, Acker added 10, and Pagotto paired eight points with eight rebounds. Horn praised Foster’s confidence in his interview heading into halftime, while making clear that his scoring did not excuse missed rebounding responsibilities.

“I wasn't worried about Willie. I did bench him at the end of the half because he wasn't defensive rebounding, but Willie's one of those dudes. He's got great confidence.”

The Norse shot 55.6% from the field and went a perfect 10 for 10 at the line despite making just two of their 11 three-point attempts.

The offense produced enough to take a lead into the locker room, but ball security remained the biggest issue. NKU’s nine turnovers gave UTEP 12 points, helping the Miners stay close throughout a half in which the Norse consistently found ways to score inside.

Second Half

Foster Picks Up Where He Left Off as NKU Builds Its Lead

UTEP opened the scoring with an emphatic finish, as Youssouf Traore dunked over Noah Pagotto and converted the accompanying free throw to trim NKU’s lead to one. The Norse answered at the line, and Willie Foster quickly picked up where he left off, grabbing a defensive rebound and scoring on the other end.

Eric Acker began creating opportunities for others, finding Will Shortt for a dunk before setting up Gabrielius Jokubauskas for a three that pushed NKU ahead 51-45. Then Acker supplied a highlight of his own, throwing down a dunk over Augusto Cassia after Donovan Rakotonanahary kept the possession alive with an offensive rebound.

Afterward, Acker joked that he saves those finishes for game day, leaving the practice dunks to Foster.

"So I don't dunk in practice, I leave that to him. I tell him I'm an in-game dunker. So, yeah, I proved that today."

Foster followed with two free throws to reach 17 points and give NKU a 55-48 advantage, but his best sequence of the half was still coming. Rotating over in help defense, Foster went straight up to block Jace Whiting at the rim, collected the rebound and took it coast to coast for a floater. It was another glimpse of how much he could impact the game on both ends.

Two Davis-Ray free throws stretched the lead to 59-49 with 12:56 remaining. NKU had its first double-digit cushion, but UTEP was not going away.

Miners Close the Gap, but Pagotto Keeps NKU Steady

Donovan Criss answered with a three, and NKU’s offense stalled. Turnovers and missed shots opened the door for UTEP, which cut the lead to 59-56 while the Norse went more than three minutes without scoring.

Pagotto finally broke the drought with two free throws. In a half repeatedly interrupted by whistles, both teams reached the bonus with plenty of time remaining, making trips to the line increasingly important.

Pagotto also continued to create extra opportunities around the basket. After a Foster three missed and Tolliver’s putback attempt would not fall, Pagotto stayed with the possession and tipped it in. The second-effort basket gave him 14 points and 10 rebounds, securing a double-double in his NKU debut.

The Miners kept pulling within a possession, including a Traore dunk that made it 65-62. Foster answered in transition, collecting a rebound and finishing on the other end to put NKU back up five with 5:44 remaining. The Norse still had work to do, but they continued finding timely answers whenever UTEP threatened to pull even.

Tolliver Delivers Late as Norse Finish at the Line

With UTEP back within three, Ryan Tolliver delivered one of the biggest shots of the game. Foster found him in the corner, and Tolliver buried his first collegiate three to give NKU a 72-66 lead with 3:33 remaining.

Foster then grabbed his 10th rebound to secure a double-double of his own, answering Horn’s halftime challenge on the defensive glass. All 10 of his rebounds came on that end, including seven after halftime.

Acker found Pagotto inside for another finish, and Pagotto helped protect the lead with three free throws in the final two minutes. Then Acker and Tolliver connected for the play that put NKU firmly in control. Acker lofted an alley-oop to Tolliver for a finish that stretched the advantage to 79-68 with 55 seconds left.

UTEP kept scoring, but NKU closed the game at the free-throw line. Acker knocked down two, Foster added another, and Jokubauskas made a pair to help seal an 84-76 season-opening win.

Foster finished with 24 points and 10 rebounds, while Pagotto added 19 points and 12 boards. Acker contributed 16 points and five assists. On a night when the Norse shot just 19.0% from three, their work at the line made the difference. NKU finished 30 for 33, including 20 for 23 in the second half, to turn a competitive opener into a win.

Final Numbers and Takeaways

Willie Foster could hardly have scripted a better debut. His 10 rebounds set a new high for an NKU player making his debut in the Division I era, while his 24 points tied the program’s debut scoring mark.

It was how comfortably he produced those numbers that stood out. Foster blew past defenders with a lightning fast first step, beat UTEP down the floor in transition and consistently drew fouls, finishing 9-for-10 at the free-throw line. You could not ask for a more promising start from a freshman.

Eric Acker provided the veteran presence alongside him. With Ethan Elliott, NKU’s lone returning starter, sidelined by a hamstring injury, Acker took on more of the responsibility of running the offense. Elliott’s absence was felt as the Norse worked through nine first half turnovers, and Acker finished with six of his own. Still, he played with composure, delivered timely baskets and created opportunities for teammates, finishing with 16 points and five assists.

There is plenty for this group to clean up, but the combination of Foster’s explosiveness and Acker’s veteran shotmaking gives NKU an encouraging foundation. That freshman-veteran dynamic should be fun to watch develop throughout the season.

Noah Pagotto deserves his share of the spotlight alongside Foster and Acker. He finished his Norse debut with 19 points and 12 rebounds, went 9-for-11 at the free throw line and did not commit a turnover. His handling of double teams was especially encouraging, showing more patience and finding teammates when UTEP sent extra help.

Defensively, NKU still has things to clean up. Basic ball screen actions created too many easy opportunities for UTEP in the first half, and the Miners left points on the floor with missed finishes around the rim. UTEP also doubled NKU’s offensive rebound total, 14-7, although both teams finished with 10 second-chance points.

The biggest difference came at the free throw line. NKU made its first 20 attempts and finished 30 for 33, giving the Norse a reliable source of offense while their perimeter shots were not falling. That efficiency helped NKU protect its advantage and stay in front throughout the second half.

For a team that entered as the underdog, it was an encouraging opening performance. The preseason KenPom rankings placed NKU at No. 226 and UTEP at No. 164, but the Norse played a solid game despite their first half turnovers and three point shooting struggles. There is plenty to improve, but finding ways to win while working through those issues is a good place to start.

Northern Kentucky’s Key Players

Willie Foster: 35 MIN, 24 PTS, 7-13 FG, 1-5 3PT, 9-10 FT, 10 REB, 1 AST, 1 TO
Noah Pagotto: 37 MIN, 19 PTS, 5-6 FG, 0-0 3PT, 9-11 FT, 12 REB, 1 AST, 0 TO
Eric Acker: 38 MIN, 16 PTS, 6-12 FG, 0-4 3PT, 4-4 FT, 1 REB, 5 AST, 6 TO
B.J. Davis-Ray: 21 MIN, 9 PTS, 3-8 FG, 1-5 3PT, 2-2 FT, 2 REB, 1 AST, 3 TO
Will Shortt: 19 MIN, 6 PTS, 1-1 FG, 0-0 3PT, 4-4 FT, 3 REB, 0 AST, 2 TO
Ryan Tolliver: 11 MIN, 5 PTS, 2-3 FG, 1-1 3PT, 0-0 FT, 4 REB, 0 AST, 0 TO
Gabrielius Jokubauskas: 24 MIN, 5 PTS, 1-7 FG, 1-6 3PT, 2-2 FT, 2 REB, 0 AST, 0 TO

UTEP’s Key Players

Youssouf Traore: 26 MIN, 18 PTS, 7-10 FG, 0-0 3PT, 4-5 FT, 7 REB, 0 AST, 0 TO
Donovan Criss: 21 MIN, 13 PTS, 4-4 FG, 2-2 3PT, 3-8 FT, 0 REB, 1 AST, 0 TO
Cam McDaniels: 26 MIN, 11 PTS, 4-15 FG, 3-9 3PT, 0-0 FT, 3 REB, 2 AST, 1 TO
Augusto Cassia: 28 MIN, 10 PTS, 4-8 FG, 1-4 3PT, 1-3 FT, 4 REB, 5 AST, 2 TO
Leif Moeller: 28 MIN, 8 PTS, 3-11 FG, 0-3 3PT, 2-2 FT, 4 REB, 5 AST, 1 TO
Jace Whiting: 26 MIN, 8 PTS, 2-9 FG, 2-8 3PT, 2-2 FT, 5 REB, 2 AST, 0 TO

Final	76	84
Field Goals (FG)	27-70 (38.6%)	25-50 (50.0%)
Three-Point FG (3PT)	8-30 (26.7%)	4-21 (19.0%)
Free Throws (FT)	14-24 (58.3%)	30-33 (90.9%)
Total Rebounds (Offensive)	33 (14)	39 (7)
Assists	16	10
Steals	6	3
Blocks	1	2
Turnovers	7	14
Points Off Turnovers	16	2
Fast Break Points	1	9
Points in the Paint	34	38
Personal Fouls	24	22
Largest Lead	3	11

Up Next- @ South Dakota 11/4 | 8pm

South Dakota opened its season with a 95-57 win over Mount Marty on Monday, getting a tune up ahead of Wednesday’s matchup with NKU. Mount Marty competes in the NAIA’s Great Plains Athletic Conference, giving the Coyotes a non-Division I opponent to work against before facing the Norse. South Dakota led 44-29 at halftime before pulling away, playing 14 players with nobody logging more than 19 minutes.

Jahni Summers led the Coyotes with 17 points, while Vince Buzelis added 14 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Kajus Kublickas also scored 14 off the bench as South Dakota shot 52.8% from the field, dominated the glass 42-19 and turned 18 Mount Marty turnovers into 24 points. The competition will take a step up Wednesday, but the opener gave NKU an early look at a team that generated offense through interior scoring, extra possessions and 41 free throw attempts.

Follow all the action with Jim Kelch and Rick Broering on FOX Sports 1360 with pregame coverage starting at 7:30 pm on November 4th! You can also watch the game on MidcoSportsPlus.