NKU Prevails with Dilling's Career-High 28 point Outburst Over IU Indy

In a hard-fought Horizon League battle at Truist Arena, Northern Kentucky defeated IU Indy 71–67 in a game defined by constant lead changes and timely scoring bursts. IU Indy got off to a spirited start with strong interior play and timely shooting, but the Norse gradually imposed their will in the second half, capitalizing on efficient scoring and clutch plays to secure the victory.

First Half Key Moments:

• Early Exchanges: Both teams traded baskets early, setting the tone for a back-and-forth affair.
• IU Indy’s Early Momentum: Sean Craig’s aggressive drives and effective layups helped the Jaguars build an initial lead.
• Offensive Struggles Early: In the first ten minutes of the game, NKU shot just 4-21 (19%) from the field despite getting open looks.
• Lid Comes off the Basket: NKU began responding as Trey Robinson, Dan Gherezgher, and Josh Dilling chipped in with timely baskets. The Norse closed the half scoring 23 points in the final 8 minutes.
• Clutch Close: In the final minute, NKU took control with decisive plays—Dilling’s end of half baseline runner gave the Norse a 34-31 lead entering halftime.

Second Half Key Moments:

• Controlling the Game: A big three-pointer from Dan Gherezgher followed by fastbreak layups from Dilling, sparked a decisive run.
• Brief Jaguars Rally: IU Indy’s Alec Millender briefly closed the gap with a three-pointer, but the home team’s efficient shooting and defensive stops stymied further momentum.
• Seal-the-Deal Plays: Whenever IU Indy was threatening to make a run in this game and cut it to a two possession game, Dilling and NKU would immediately respond with a basket of their own. The Jaguars could never get multiple key stops in order to win.

This game was a showcase of resilience and competitive spirit from both squads, with Northern Kentucky ultimately benefiting from a significantly more efficient second-half performance (57.7% FG compared to IU Indy’s 38.7%). While IU Indy’s individual efforts kept the game within striking distance, NKU’s composure and timely execution in critical moments ensured they walked away with the win in this tightly contested Horizon League matchup.

Key Players from IU Indy:

• Sean Craig: 37 minutes; 22 points (9-19 FG, 3-9 3PT, 1-1 FT); 7 rebounds; 2 assists; 2 turnovers; 1 block.
• Paul Zilinskas: 30 minutes; 15 points (3-8 FG, 2-6 3PT, 7-7 FT); 7 rebounds; 4 assists.
• Alec Millender: 40 minutes; 12 points (4-10 FG, 4-8 3PT); 3 rebounds; 7 assists; 1 turnover; 1 steal.
• Jarvis Walker: 32 minutes; 9 points (4-11 FG, 1-4 3PT); 2 rebounds; 2 assists; 3 turnovers.

Key Players from Northern Kentucky:

• Josh Dilling: 38 minutes; career-high 28 points (10-18 FG, 7-15 3PT, 1-1 FT); 1 rebound; 1 assist; 4 fouls; 1 steal.
• Dan Gherezgher: 35 minutes; 15 points (6-13 FG, 3-7 3PT); 7 rebounds; 4 assists; 3 turnovers; 1 steal.
• Trey Robinson: 35 minutes; 13 points (6-18 FG, 0-2 3PT, 1-2 FT); 8 rebounds; 5 assists; 1 turnover; 1 steal.
• Sam Vinson: 35 minutes; 5 points (2-6 FG, 0-3 3PT, 1-3 FT); 8 rebounds; 5 assists; 1 turnover.

Team Comparison:

Dilling All Day

Josh Dilling set a new career high in points at NKU with 28 points, but he also had a major impact on the Norse's transition offense. He finished the game with a season-high 11 points in transition and had this to say regarding the Norse in transition:
"Transition is big for us because even if it's an open three, or if it's Trey posting up, or our big man running the midline we don't have to set up our offense. If we can score right away in transition we're going to."

Northern Kentucky is not running many plays to get Dilling looks or letting him go one-on-one against the defense because that is not his style as a player. He is however able to score when Sam Vinson and Dan Gherezgher are making plays and creating open looks, which has led to him being just one behind the league leader in three-pointers made, Paul Zilinskas (85). Coach Darrin Horn described Josh's impact perfectly in his postgame interview with Jim Kelch and Rick Broering:
"We don't run plays for Josh Dilling; we just let him do his thing. He sprints the floor, spaces well, and is a great cutter. Even on a light night, when his looks don’t fall, he can still put points on the board. You’re getting all positives from a guy like that."

4 Days in March

As Northern Kentucky has had to shift away from "3 Days in March" to 4 this season, the goal to return to Indianapolis remains the same. With the win on Sunday, NKU locked up a home first round tournament game on March 4th. This game will most likely feature Detroit Mercy, as they currently have an 83% chance to face off.

The Norse still have two remaining regular season games and both of them will feature potential second round opponents in Purdue Fort Wayne and Youngstown State. For the second week in a row, NKU will have to go from a road game to one full day of rest before coming back home. Coach Horn did not mince words when discussing the schedule after the Wright State game:
"We've got a very interesting schedule late. It seems to happen to us every year late in the year. We’ve got that situation: the next week we go on the road on a Thursday and have to come home on one day of prep to play Youngstown State, who doesn’t play at all next week. So, no excuses to be made. Thanks to the Horizon League for that."

IU Indy Bus Fire

The Jaguars put up a hard-fought battle on Sunday, featuring Sean Craig and Paul Zilinskas who combined for 37 of the team's 67 points. On the way home after the loss, the team bus caught fire after a mechanical issue around Kent, Indiana and the bus, along with team gear and personal items inside, was completely burned. Luckily, no players or staff members were injured due to this incident.