Late Poise Delivers: NKU Holds Off Milwaukee 67–62 on Homecoming

Northern Kentucky and Milwaukee both entered Friday night at Truist Arena searching for traction, each trying to stop a losing streak that had lingered longer than either side wanted. The game followed that script for most of the night, tight, physical, and contested deep into the second half. In the end, NKU made the final plays, knocked down the key shots, and closed at the free throw line to pull out a 67–62 win over the Panthers.

First Half

Early Pace, Milwaukee Punches First

The opening minutes were choppy and physical, with neither team finding much rhythm. Milwaukee leaned into paint touches through Aaron Franklin and Faizon Fields, creating interior looks and briefly controlling the early tempo. Northern Kentucky had chances to flip momentum quicker, but early turnovers and missed perimeter looks kept the game tight.

Threes Flip the Script for NKU

Once the game settled, NKU’s perimeter shooting changed the feel of the night. Dan Gherezgher and Tae Dozier stretched Milwaukee’s defense with timely threes, opening driving lanes and forcing the Panthers to defend the entire floor. Bryce Darbyshire’s minutes off the bench stood out immediately. After the game, speaking with Jim Kelch and Rick Broering, Darrin Horn pointed directly to that presence.

“I thought Bryce Darbyshire was a huge key to the game. The threes were great, but I just thought he gave us a tremendous toughness and presence that, quite honestly, we’re lacking in some guys.”

Late Half Surge Creates Breathing Room

The final four minutes were NKU’s best stretch of the half. A Darbyshire transition three and a Dozier steal and dunk capped a run that finally created separation. Milwaukee answered with timely shooting from Stevie Elam and Josh Dixon, but the Norse closed with confidence and control, heading into the locker room up 36–31.

Second Half

Milwaukee Hangs Around with Interior Pressure

Milwaukee came out determined to erase the gap, attacking the paint and generating second chances. Fields and Franklin kept the Panthers within striking distance, and NKU’s perimeter shooting cooled early. The Norse lead shrank as Milwaukee continued to force tough possessions and grind the game into the half court.

Gherezgher Takes Control

Just as Milwaukee threatened to flip the game, Gherezgher delivered the response. He knocked down multiple second-half threes, including a pair that rebuilt a double-digit cushion. Horn emphasized that it wasn’t only about the points.

“Not just the shot-making. That’s a bonus. He grabbed four rebounds, only had two turnovers handling the ball a lot, and I thought he was much better defensively.”

Donovan Oday added pressure during that same stretch, turning steals into transition points and free throws when NKU needed them most.

Closing Time at the Free Throw Line

Milwaukee made one final push, cutting the margin to one inside the final minute after a Dixon three. NKU stayed composed. LJ Wells delivered late at the line, Gherezgher answered with a tough jumper, and Oday sealed it with free throws after a huge defensive stop. It wasn’t always pretty, but it was disciplined when it mattered. In a game that demanded toughness and execution late, the Norse finished the job and closed out a 67–62 win at Truist Arena.

Final Numbers and Takeaways

A much-needed Homecoming win for Northern Kentucky, snapping the skid and doing it with a balanced, team-wide effort. The Norse didn’t rely on one hot hand, instead finding enough production across the lineup to get through another tight finish. Most importantly, they closed the game with the defensive stop they needed, something that had been missing in several recent close losses. This time, NKU made the play.

The Norse also showed they can survive an off night from Donovan Oday. Milwaukee deserves credit for that, as the Panthers did an excellent job limiting his clean looks for most of the game. Four of Oday’s 10 points came on one pivotal sequence, jumping a passing lane, pushing in transition, and converting an and-1 after being fouled by Aaron Franklin, a play that also led to a technical on the Milwaukee bench. Even with Oday contained, NKU found enough answers elsewhere to finish the job.

Gherezgher delivered a major bounce-back performance, finishing with 22 points and the late basket that ultimately sealed the game. With the Norse up one and under 25 seconds to play, NKU kept it simple. Donovan Oday came up to provide a quick rub screen, opening up the lane to get Gherezgher downhill.

Milwaukee cut off the drive, but Gherezgher turned around and rose up over Stevie Elam and faded away, putting just enough touch on the shot as it caught the front rim and dropped. The bucket pushed the lead to three, and after a defensive steal on the next possession, NKU closed it out.

Darbyshire provided an immediate lift off the bench, knocking down two timely threes and injecting physicality into the game. He did have a couple of head-scratching turnovers, but he answered them with defensive effort, helping the Norse generate key stops when the game tightened.

Foul trouble also shaped the night, particularly for LJ Wells, who picked up his third foul with just five seconds left in the first half while trying to contest a Sekou Konneh dunk. From there, NKU spent much of the game managing lineups on the fly. Only two different combinations logged double-digit offensive possessions together, a reflection of how difficult it was to find rhythm with fouls and injuries constantly disrupting the rotation.

That made the finish even more important. The Norse had spent significant time in shootaround working through late-game scenarios, knowing they would likely be needed again. This time, when the moment arrived, the execution matched the preparation.

It was also Northern Kentucky’s first win of the season when scoring under 70 points, a reminder that this group can win games in different ways. The Norse offense, which has leaned heavily on pace and spacing all year, was pushed into its lowest-possession game of the season and had to grind for points.

Defensively, NKU did it almost entirely in man-to-man. Over the last two games, the Norse have played just eight total possessions of zone or fist coverage, committing instead to guarding straight up. Against Milwaukee, that approach paid off. NKU held the Panthers to a very solid 0.899 points per possession.

Friday night also marked a personal milestone for Darrin Horn, as the win became the 300th head coaching victory of his career. Horn credited the moment to the players and staffs he has coached along the way.

Northern Kentucky’s Key Players

Dan Gherezgher: 38 MIN, 22 PTS, 8-16 FG, 5-10 3PT, 1-2 FT, 4 REB, 1 PF, 3 AST, 2 TO, 0 BLK, 1 STL
LJ Wells: 24 MIN, 12 PTS, 3-7 FG, 0-3 3PT, 6-8 FT, 2 REB, 4 PF, 0 AST, 0 TO, 1 BLK, 0 STL
Tae Dozier: 26 MIN, 11 PTS, 4-7 FG, 3-6 3PT, 0-0 FT, 5 REB, 2 PF, 2 AST, 1 TO, 1 BLK, 1 STL
Donovan Oday: 27 MIN, 10 PTS, 2-8 FG, 0-5 3PT, 6-7 FT, 3 REB, 2 PF, 0 AST, 1 TO, 0 BLK, 3 STL
Ethan Elliott: 37 MIN, 6 PTS, 1-5 FG, 0-1 3PT, 4-6 FT, 3 REB, 2 PF, 6 AST, 3 TO, 0 BLK, 2 STL
Bryce Darbyshire: 17 MIN, 6 PTS, 2-3 FG, 2-3 3PT, 0-0 FT, 2 REB, 0 PF, 1 AST, 2 TO, 0 BLK, 0 STL

Milwaukee’s Key Players

Chandler Jackson: 25 MIN, 11 PTS, 4-9 FG, 1-4 3PT, 2-2 FT, 3 REB, 1 PF, 1 AST, 1 TO, 0 BLK, 2 STL
Aaron Franklin: 37 MIN, 10 PTS, 5-8 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-2 FT, 10 REB, 3 PF, 4 AST, 1 TO, 0 BLK, 1 STL
Josh Dixon: 27 MIN, 10 PTS, 4-11 FG, 2-4 3PT, 0-0 FT, 2 REB, 2 PF, 1 AST, 2 TO, 0 BLK, 0 STL
Stevie Elam: 26 MIN, 9 PTS, 3-6 FG, 3-6 3PT, 0-0 FT, 3 REB, 2 PF, 0 AST, 1 TO, 0 BLK, 0 STL
Faizon Fields: 27 MIN, 8 PTS, 4-6 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-1 FT, 5 REB, 3 PF, 0 AST, 2 TO, 0 BLK, 1 STL
Amar Augillard: 19 MIN, 7 PTS, 2-7 FG, 1-4 3PT, 2-2 FT, 0 REB, 3 PF, 2 AST, 2 TO, 0 BLK, 1 STL

Field Goals (FG)	24-53 (45.3%)	20-49 (40.8%)
Three-Point FG (3PT)	7-19 (36.8%)	10-28 (35.7%)
Free Throws (FT)	7-11 (63.6%)	17-23 (73.9%)
Total Rebounds (Offensive)	30 (7)	32 (8)
Assists	12	12
Steals	7	7
Blocks	0	2
Turnovers	11	11
Points Off Turnovers	6	20
Fast Break Points	6	10
Points in the Paint	30	18
Personal Fouls	18	15
Largest Lead	7	13

Up Next- @ IU Indy 2/12 | 6:30pm

Northern Kentucky heads to Indianapolis to face an IU Indy team coming off a statement home win. The Jaguars knocked off Cleveland State 82–74 on Saturday, snapping a five-game winning streak for the Vikings. IU Indy still has Milwaukee on Tuesday before the Norse arrive, but their league résumé is better than the standings suggest. All three of their Horizon League wins have come against quality opponents: Robert Morris, Oakland, and Cleveland State. NKU won the first meeting 81–72 at Truist Arena and will look to complete the season sweep on the road.

Follow all the action with Jim Kelch and Rick Broering on ESPN 1530 with pregame coverage starting at 6:00 pm on February 12th! You can also watch the game on ESPN+.