Oday’s Second-Half Attack Powers NKU to an 81–72 Win Over IU Indy

Northern Kentucky’s 81–72 win over IU Indy was anything but clean, but it was telling. The Norse trailed for long stretches, dug themselves out of an early hole, and leaned on defense and late execution to flip the game after halftime. It was the kind of conference win that doesn’t show up as dominant in the box score, but one that reveals growth, resilience, and an ability to make plays when the game tightens.

First Half

A Flat Start Lets IU Indy Get Comfortable

Northern Kentucky never found its defensive edge early. IU Indy’s spacing and cutting pulled NKU into long possessions, and the Jaguars capitalized when the Norse were a half-step late closing gaps. Add in turnovers and a few missed chances at the rim, and IU Indy had enough runway to control the rhythm. In his postgame interview with Jim Kelch and Rick Broering, Coach Horn didn’t sugarcoat it:

“We had a couple guys who were literally missing in action early in the game.”

IU Indy’s Guards Make Plays, NKU Chases the Score

Kyler D’Augustino and Finley Woodward did a good job keeping pressure on the ball and creating clean looks. IU Indy’s shot-making wasn’t a fluke. They were getting into the paint and kicking out, then mixing in timely threes. NKU was scoring, but it felt like a response instead of an attack.

Gherezgher’s Shooting Keeps It Within Reach

Dan Gherezgher was the stabilizer when IU Indy threatened to stretch it. He hit two first-half threes and gave NKU some much-needed spacing in a half where the Norse weren’t consistently scoring. The score stayed manageable largely because NKU had answers from the perimeter even while trailing.

Late Push Cuts 12 to 4 Before Halftime

Down 12 late, NKU finally strung together stops and finished plays at the rim. Wells cleaned up misses, Oday created a transition dunk, and the Norse carried better energy into the break. It was still an uneven half, but they got the game back to 39–35 and gave themselves a real path after halftime.

Second Half

Defensive Pressure Changes the Game Immediately

NKU came out sharper, turned defense into quick points, and wiped out the deficit fast. The activity level was clearly different, and the possessions looked shorter, more physical, and more urgent. The half started to tilt because NKU was finally forcing IU Indy to play through contact. Horn put it plainly:

“It doesn’t matter what defense you’re in if you don’t play defense. You’ve got to guard.”

IU Indy’s Response Creates the Game’s Tightest Moment

Even after NKU surged, IU Indy answered with threes and second-chance opportunities to rebuild a lead, pushing it out to 10 again at one point. That stretch mattered because it tested whether NKU would get rattled or keep making solid possessions.

Oday’s Second-Half Physicality Becomes the Anchor

When NKU needed stability, Donovan Oday provided it. He attacked gaps, finished through contact, and kept the pressure on IU Indy’s defense. Instead of settling for jumpers, NKU leaned into paint touches and downhill drives, and that’s when the game started to swing permanently.

Gherezgher Closes It with Timely Threes

This is where Dan’s night really turned. After hitting two threes in the first half, he drilled three more in the second, including the late daggers that stretched the margin and shut the door. NKU finished the job at the line and with defensive rebounds, turning a back-and-forth game into an 81–72 win.

Final Numbers and Takeaways

Donovan Oday owned the second half. He scored 12 of his 18 points after the break, completely changing the game’s tone. Two back-to-back threes flipped momentum, and two hard finishes in the paint turned into and-ones that broke IU Indy’s resistance. After the second one, Oday turned toward the crowd and made his feelings clear. From the lip read, it looked like he said:
“I’m really like that. I'm really like that.”
Down the stretch, he was. Oday took control of the game and led NKU home.

The other Donovan delivered the moment of the night. Donovan Rakotonanahary’s steal and two-handed reverse windmill dunk gave NKU the lead with under eight minutes to play and sent Truist Arena into a frenzy. It was a pure energy play on both ends and one of the most impressive dunks you’ll see all season. Rakotonanahary played a season-high 24 minutes, and his impact went well beyond the box score. Check it out below:

Dan Gherezgher quietly put together his most efficient scoring night of the season. He shot 75% from the field, including 5-for-7 from three, and delivered the late threes that stretched the margin when the game was still up in the air. After a quiet start, his shot-making was decisive when it mattered most.

Kael Robinson’s afternoon was uneven. He struggled to find rhythm in the first half, committing two early sloppy turnovers and never fully settling in. While he was more aggressive attacking the rim in the second half, Robinson played just 19 minutes, not due to foul trouble but a lack of impact. He finished with six points, his lowest output of the season, and did not make a three for just the second time all year and the first since going 0-for-1 against Wofford. It’s the type of performance that looks more like a quick blip, and something he can bounce back from.

The sequence that truly changed the game came at the 9:00 mark of the second half. IU Indy led 59–50 when Maguire Mitchell missed a three, and Tae Dozier beat everyone down the floor in transition. Mitchell tried to recover and took Dozier’s legs out from underneath him. After review, the call was upgraded to a flagrant one. Dozier calmly knocked down both free throws, NKU retained possession, and Oday buried a three at the top of the key moments later. It went from the Jaguars leading 59-50 to being down 63-59 3 minutes later. NKU never relinquished the lead again.

That stretch summed up the afternoon. Defense, discipline, and timely aggression. Not perfect, but effective. And in league play, that’s often enough.

IU Indy's Key Players

Kyler D’Augustino: 35 MIN, 20 PTS, 7-19 FG, 2-8 3PT, 4-4 FT, 3 REB, 2 PF, 3 AST, 1 TO, 2 STL
Finley Woodward: 36 MIN, 10 PTS, 5-10 FG, 6 REB, 4 PF, 5 AST, 5 TO, 2 STL
Kameron Tinsley: 17 MIN, 10 PTS, 3-5 FG, 3-5 3PT, 1-1 FT, 2 REB, 4 PF, 1 AST, 1 TO, 3 STL
Maguire Mitchell: 21 MIN, 7 PTS, 3-9 FG, 1-6 3PT, 2 REB, 2 PF
Jaxon Edwards: 24 MIN, 7 PTS, 3-6 FG, 0-2 3PT, 1-1 FT, 3 REB, 1 PF, 2 AST, 1 TO, 1 BLK, 1 STL
Micah Davis: 23 MIN, 6 PTS, 2-6 FG, 2-5 3PT, 2 REB, 2 PF, 1 AST, 3 TO

Northern Kentucky’s Key Players

Donovan Oday: 27 MIN, 18 PTS, 6-12 FG, 2-6 3PT, 4-4 FT, 3 REB, 1 TO, 2 STL
Dan Gherezgher: 26 MIN, 17 PTS, 6-8 FG, 5-7 3PT, 1 REB, 1 PF, 1 AST, 1 TO, 1 STL
LJ Wells: 29 MIN, 14 PTS, 4-6 FG, 6-9 FT, 9 REB, 2 PF, 2 AST, 4 TO, 1 STL
Tae Dozier: 25 MIN, 10 PTS, 3-6 FG, 2-3 3PT, 2-3 FT, 2 REB, 1 PF, 3 AST
Ethan Elliott: 34 MIN, 7 PTS, 2-6 FG, 2-4 3PT, 1-3 FT, 3 REB, 1 PF, 7 AST, 1 TO, 1 STL
Kael Robinson: 19 MIN, 6 PTS, 3-7 FG, 1 REB, 1 PF, 1 AST, 2 TO
Donovan Rakotonanahary: 24 MIN, 5 PTS, 2-4 FG, 1-2 FT, 7 REB, 3 PF, 1 TO, 2 STL

	IU Indy	Northern Kentucky
Field Goals (FG)	28-64 (43.8%)	27-55 (49.1%)
Three-Point FG (3PT)	10-31 (32.3%)	12-25 (48.0%)
Free Throws (FT)	6-6 (100.0%)	15-25 (60.0%)
Total Rebounds (Offensive)	34 (10)	29 (9)
Assists	13	14
Steals	8	9
Blocks	2	0
Turnovers	15	11
Points Off Turnovers	13	22
Fast Break Points	7	12
Points in the Paint	30	30
Personal Fouls	20	9
Largest Lead	12	10

Up Next- @ Truist Arena vs Youngstown State | 4pm

Northern Kentucky returns home to Truist Arena on Sunday to face a Youngstown State team sitting at 2–3 in Horizon League play. The Penguins arrive after back-to-back home losses to Detroit Mercy and Oakland, games they dropped by a combined seven points. Youngstown State leans heavily on the three-point shot. 39.3% of their total scoring comes from beyond the arc, a top-25 mark nationally, making perimeter defense a clear focal point for NKU.

Follow all the action with Jim Kelch and Rick Broering on Fox Sports 1360 with pregame coverage starting at 3:30 pm on January 4th! You can also watch the game on ESPN+.