Gherezgher’s Clutch Three and Itejere’s Massive Block Lift NKU Past Raiders

Norse Illustrated was on-site for this highly competitive Horizon League battle which unfolded at the Ervin J. Nutter Center as Northern Kentucky and Wright State clashed in a game filled with momentum shifts, key individual performances, and intense late-game moments. Both teams showcased their offensive strengths, with efficient scoring in the first half giving way to a grind-it-out second half where defensive stops and free throws became crucial.

First Half Recap:

• Early Exchanges: Wright State started strong with quick inside baskets from Michael Imariagbe and Solomon Callaghan, taking an early lead.
• Momentum Shift: A 3-pointer by Keaton Norris put Wright State up 10-6, but Northern Kentucky countered with a 7-0 run to take control.
• Offense Early: The first seven possessions of the game resulted in a score.
• Biggest Lead: Northern Kentucky's biggest lead in the game was 9 points when they led 46-37 with 2:20 left in the first half after a Josh Dilling three-pointer, but WSU quickly closed the gap before half.
• Halftime Score: Northern Kentucky led 46-41, while shooting 66.67% from the field in the first half.

Second Half Recap:

• Wright State’s Strong Start: Brandon Noel scored multiple layups early, cutting the NKU lead to one (48-47).
• NKU Missed Opportunities: The Norse misfired on a couple of lob plays and a Dan Gherezgher missed dunk to start the second half.
• Lead Change: Wright State took its first second-half lead at 51-50 after a layup from Noel.
• Turnovers & Missed Free Throws: Wright State struggled with giveaways and shot just 2-of-10 from the free-throw line in the second half, missing opportunities to extend their lead.
• Northern Kentucky Responds: Keeyan Itejere’s dunk at the 12-minute mark sparked a comeback, keeping the Norse within striking distance.
• Back-and-Forth Battle: The teams exchanged leads multiple times, with Wright State holding a 66-57 advantage at one point.
• NKU Turns the Tide: Dan Gherezgher hit a clutch three-pointer with 1:48 left, putting Northern Kentucky ahead 77-76. Itejere had one of his most important blocks of the season with the Norse up 2 and 5 seconds remaining.

Final 80-76: NKU move to just one game under .500 in Horizon play at 8-9 as Wright State falls to 7-11. Northern Kentucky can clinch a first-round home game with a win on Sunday against IU Indy.

Northern Kentucky Key Players:

• Dan Gherezgher: 17 PTS (6-13 FG, 3-5 3PT, 2-2 FT), 2 REB, 3 AST
• Josh Dilling: 16 PTS (5-8 FG, 2-4 3PT, 4-6 FT), 5 REB, 3 AST, 2 STL
• Sam Vinson: 14 PTS (6-7 FG, 2-6 FT), 6 REB, 4 AST, 1 STL
• Trey Robinson: 12 PTS (3-9 FG, 1-3 3PT, 5-8 FT), 4 REB, 1 AST, 3 STL, 1 BLK
• Keeyan Itejere: 10 PTS (5-8 FG, 0-1 FT), 5 REB, 0 AST, 1 STL, 2 BLK

Wright State Key Players:

• Brandon Noel: 22 PTS (10-14 FG, 0-1 3PT, 2-7 FT), 11 REB, 2 AST, 1 STL
• Solomon Callaghan: 16 PTS (6-12 FG, 4-9 3PT), 1 REB
• Michael Imariagbe: 13 PTS (6-7 FG, 0-0 3PT, 1-1 FT), 5 REB, 5 AST, 1 STL
• Jack Doumbia: 12 PTS (6-11 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-3 FT), 2 REB, 1 AST, 1 BLK
• Keaton Norris: 6 PTS (2-2 FG, 2-2 3PT, 0-0 FT), 2 REB, 4 AST
• Alex Huibregtse: 0 PTS (0-9 FG, 0-6 3PT, 0-0 FT), 3 REB, 3 AST, 1 STL

Team Comparison:

Pull Out the W

Northern Kentucky found a way to win Friday night despite Wright State attempting to take over the game from the paint. Brandon Noel got an efficient double-double while having double teams thrown at him throughout the night, but as a 76.9% free throw shooter on the season, kept NKU in the game by going just 2 for 7. One of the biggest surprises of the night was Michael Imariagbe, who was able to score at will against Itejere in the first half. Repeatedly, Imariagbe would get the ball in the middle of the court and back down Keeyan until he got to the rim and scored.

Keeyan gave up a season-high 11 points on defense, all of which came in the first half. He did not let his first-half defensive struggles stop him from making his most important block of the season as he skied up to deny Jack Doumbia with just five seconds remaining and the Norse up two. “Man, it was an incredible block. He almost looked like he could have grabbed it out of midair,” head coach Darrin Horn said, emphasizing the game-changing defensive play that sealed the victory.

Not only did Itejere deliver a highlight play on defense, but the entire Norse defense locked in during the final four minutes of the game. Wright State scored its last points at 4:03 with a Doumbia layup to go up 76-72. NKU then forced a shot clock violation, created key deflections, and forced a Noel turnover in some of the game’s most crucial moments. Northern Kentucky almost had a deflection on every defensive possession in the last four minutes.

Team Effort, But Went To Gherezgher Late

For the first time this year against a Division I opponent, all five Northern Kentucky starters scored in double figures. With the bench only playing 27 total minutes, the Norse starters had to step up in order to secure the win.

Dan Gherezgher has developed into Northern Kentucky's go-to offensive weapon late in games, stepping up when they need crucial baskets. He is a dynamic player off the dribble, capable of getting downhill on defenders or creating his own shot from behind the arc.

"Even if he doesn't get to the rim and score, he gets downhill, creates some rotations, and we get out. Now we can play off some movement and do some really good things" head coach Darrin Horn said about Gherezgher’s impact late in games.

A scorer like that has been notably missing from a post-Marques Warrick team up until this point. Gherezgher cannot replace what Warrick brought to NKU, but he is starting to fill that hole, taking these crucial shots and having the late-game offense run through him.

Huibregtse Gets Shut Out

Northern Kentucky has had a history of getting hurt from perimeter shooters like Huibregtse and Norris, who dropped a career-high 21 points in the first matchup of the year. Huibregtse had to work for his shot early in this one, with a couple of defenders running him off the three-point line, but he never settled into the game. Even when he got open looks, he was consistently short on his shots all night.

"I thought we did a good job on him. I think on Norris as well," said head coach Darrin Horn. "I thought we were locked in on the right stuff, defensively."

NKU’s defensive focus played a crucial role in neutralizing Wright State’s backcourt, ensuring that one of their biggest perimeter threats was a non-factor.

Quick Turnaround

IU Indy Scouting Report

#0 Paul Zilinskas: Graduate Student Guard 6'5"
Season Averages (31.0 MIN, 18 PPG, 2.8 REB, 1.7 AST)
The Lithuanian guard for the Jaguars is coming off 28 points against Detroit Mercy on Wednesday and has now scored 20+ points in six of his last eight games. NKU made it incredibly easy for Zilinskas to get his game going in the first matchup in early December with multiple wide open looks from three in the first half. The Norse will need to be much more aware of the league leader in three-point percentage (42.1%) come Sunday.

#4 Jarvis Walker: Graduate Student Guard 6'3"
Season Averages (32.1 MIN, 15.6 PPG, 2.8 REB, 2.8 AST)
Walker is coming off back-to-back 20+ point games and is a very solid spot-up shooter. He is also used as a downhill driver off of ball screens and has good touch around the rim. Both Walker and Zilinskas scored 23 and 24 points, respectively, in the previous matchup and will no doubt be at the top of NKU's scouting report.

#7 Sean Craig: Junior Forward 6'7"
Season Averages (31.6 MIN, 11.2 PPG, 7.8 REB, 1.7 AST)
Despite his size and rebounding numbers, Craig is a reliable perimeter shooter for the Jags at 36.5% from three on the year. He is also a potential threat on the offensive glass, where he can create extra possessions.

 Key Stats

• Rarely use bench: IU Indy is 349th in the country in bench minutes percentage.
• Shaky Defense: The Jaguars are dead last in the conference in defensive efficiency and opponents are shooting 57% from two.
• Sharp Shooters: 3rd in the conference in 3 point percentage at 37%.
• Road Dogs?: The last three conference wins for IU Indy have all been on the road.