Pagotto’s 30 Points Power NKU Past South Dakota, 102-94

Northern Kentucky entered Wednesday night looking to leave the state of South Dakota with two wins in its opening week, and the Norse got it done with plenty of offense and a few late nerves. Noah Pagotto poured in 30 points, Eric Acker paired 22 points with 12 assists, and Willie Foster’s second-half scoring burst helped NKU build a lead it would need down the stretch. South Dakota made things interesting late, but the Norse held on for a 102-94 win to improve to 2-0.

First Half

Pagotto’s Hot Start Helps NKU Set the Pace

NKU’s opening defensive possession was a messy one. The Norse committed three fouls before South Dakota finally finished the trip with a Cade Kelderman three. Fortunately, the offense settled in much quicker.

Donovan Rakotonanahary gave NKU its first lead with a steal and transition finish, though Jahni Summers answered with a three. B.J. Davis-Ray later buried an open look from deep to put the Norse ahead 13-11.

Noah Pagotto was the steady presence inside, making his first five shots for 10 quick points. NKU made 10 of its first 12 attempts from the field, finding clean looks around the basket and getting enough perimeter shooting to keep South Dakota stretched out.

Eric Acker knocked down a three, and Willie Foster followed with a steal and finish to make it 20-16. That sequence helped fuel a 9-0 run that pushed the lead to 24-16. South Dakota answered with five straight points, but Acker’s second three restored a six-point cushion.

Foul Trouble Makes the Bench Minutes Count

The whistles never gave either team much room to settle in. With 9:12 remaining, both Will Shortt and Pagotto had two fouls, and NKU had to work through increasingly complicated lineup combinations.

JJ Apathjang checked in for his collegiate debut and quickly contributed defensively, forcing a turnover while battling South Dakota’s size inside. Rakotonanahary gave the Norse an even bigger lift. His driving finish pushed the lead to 38-30, and his work on the offensive glass produced two free throws and a putback later. He finished the half with eight points on 3-for-3 shooting and three rebounds, including two offensive boards.

Those were valuable minutes as the foul trouble spread. Acker scored through contact with under seven minutes but received a technical while celebrating the basket. Acker then picked up his third foul with 2:30 remaining, sending NKU’s lead guard to the bench after a half in which he produced 15 points and seven assists without a turnover.

By halftime, the teams had combined for 26 fouls. NKU had 15, with Acker carrying three and five other Norse players carrying two apiece.

South Dakota Closes In Before NKU Finishes Strong

For all of NKU’s offensive success, South Dakota kept finding ways to stay close. Summers led the Coyotes with 17 first-half points, including three triples, while second chances repeatedly hurt the Norse. South Dakota collected seven offensive rebounds and held a 12-8 advantage in second-chance points at the break.

Turnovers also became a problem. NKU went the first 10 minutes without one, then committed six over the final 10. Two late giveaways helped the Coyotes turn a 48-42 deficit into a one-point game, with Vince Buzelis hitting a three and Kajus Kublickas following with a basket inside.

Pagotto supplied the answer, scoring in the paint with 23 seconds left to give him 18 points on 8-for-10 shooting. After a South Dakota turnover, Foster found Davis-Ray for a transition finish at the before the horn, sending NKU into halftime ahead 52-47.

The Norse shot 65.5% from the field, made three of five attempts from deep and scored 30 points in the paint. The offense had given NKU the lead. Taking care of the ball, finishing defensive possessions and managing the foul trouble would be the priorities coming out of the locker room.

Second Half

Foster Takes Over as South Dakota Threatens

South Dakota wasted little time cutting into NKU’s 52-47 halftime lead. Stef Van Bussel scored twice inside to bring the Coyotes within one, immediately putting pressure on the Norse to respond. Eric Acker answered with a driving layup, and Noah Pagotto knocked down a three after a B.J. Davis-Ray steal, but South Dakota stayed close.

Then Willie Foster took over.

After hitting a three to answer another South Dakota push, Foster turned a tight game into his own scoring stretch. Donovan Rakotonanahary’s putback gave NKU a 62-58 lead before Acker picked off a pass and found Foster for a transition finish through contact. Foster completed the three-point play, added another driving layup and buried a transition three to push the lead to double digits.

He wasn’t finished. Foster came up with a steal and dunk, then knocked down another three off an Acker assist to make it 75-62 with 11:33 remaining. He scored 13 consecutive NKU points in about two minutes, giving the Norse the separation they had been searching for.

Norse Keep Building After Foster Heads to the Bench

Foster’s fourth foul sent him to the bench with 11:17 left, and South Dakota quickly trimmed the deficit to eight. With their hottest scorer sitting, the Norse needed others to keep the offense moving.

Pagotto answered with a putback, and Will Shortt blocked a shot and secured the rebound before Davis-Ray buried a pull-up three. NKU continued finding enough offense to keep South Dakota from turning that brief push into a bigger run.

Acker kept creating opportunities, finding Pagotto for a layup before Davis-Ray finished through contact for a three-point play that stretched the advantage to 87-71. When Ethan Kizer answered from deep, Gabrielius Jokubauskas came back with a three of his own, restoring the 16-point cushion with 5:53 remaining.

The Norse were getting contributions throughout the lineup. Pagotto finished with 30 points on 11-of-15 shooting, Acker paired 22 points with 12 assists and just one turnover, and Davis-Ray added 15 points. NKU shot 62.5% from the field and made nine of its 14 three-point attempts, including six of nine after halftime.

Late Mistakes Make the Finish Interesting

The offense had built a comfortable lead, but NKU’s closing possessions gave South Dakota a way back into the game.

Missed free throws and turnovers piled up as the Coyotes kept attacking. Davis-Ray’s layup off a Foster assist put NKU ahead 93-80 with 2:59 remaining, but it would be the Norse’s final field goal. South Dakota kept chipping away, with Vince Buzelis providing several important finishes.

A Foster turnover led to a Buzelis layup that cut the lead to 96-92 with 38 seconds left. What had been a 16-point advantage was suddenly a two-possession game.

NKU finally settled things at the line. Acker made both free throws with 31 seconds remaining, Pagotto added two more after South Dakota again pulled within four, and Foster’s final pair secured the 102-94 win.

Foster finished with 22 points, including 18 after halftime. His scoring burst helped NKU take control, but the finish left plenty to clean up. The Norse had enough offense to get out of Vermillion with a win, even as late mistakes made the final minute much tighter than it needed to be.

Final Numbers and Takeaways

Noah Pagotto’s dominance starts with how under control he plays. He has great touch around the basket and always seems to know where he is on the floor, allowing him to finish without rushing. Through two games, he has given NKU a reliable inside presence, and his 30 points on 11-of-15 shooting against South Dakota showed just how effective he can be.

Willie Foster had an extremely quiet first half before delivering the explosive stretch that changed the game after halftime. His 13 consecutive NKU points gave the Norse separation and helped build the cushion they ultimately needed to hold off South Dakota. Even when he isn’t scoring early, Foster can change the feel of a game in a hurry.

Eric Acker’s ability to create while keeping his turnovers under control was just as important. He finished with 22 points and 12 assists against just one turnover, directing an offense that shot 62.5% from the field. Those 12 assists surpassed his previous career high of 11 and set a new NKU Division I-era single-game record. After the turnover issues in the opener, this was an encouraging response from the Norse point guard.

Northern Kentucky’s Key Players

Noah Pagotto: 36 MIN, 30 PTS, 11-15 FG, 1-2 3PT, 7-11 FT, 4 REB, 2 AST, 3 TO
Willie Foster: 29 MIN, 22 PTS, 7-14 FG, 3-5 3PT, 5-5 FT, 2 REB, 3 AST, 4 TO
Eric Acker: 36 MIN, 22 PTS, 7-13 FG, 2-3 3PT, 6-9 FT, 1 REB, 12 AST, 1 TO
B.J. Davis-Ray: 35 MIN, 15 PTS, 5-8 FG, 2-3 3PT, 3-3 FT, 5 REB, 1 AST, 1 TO
Donovan Rakotonanahary: 27 MIN, 10 PTS, 4-4 FG, 0-0 3PT, 2-4 FT, 6 REB, 0 AST, 0 TO

South Dakota’s Key Players

Jahni Summers: 31 MIN, 24 PTS, 7-12 FG, 4-9 3PT, 6-6 FT, 3 REB, 0 AST, 3 TO
Vince Buzelis: 32 MIN, 20 PTS, 8-12 FG, 1-2 3PT, 3-4 FT, 2 REB, 2 AST, 1 TO
Kajus Kublickas: 22 MIN, 15 PTS, 5-7 FG, 0-1 3PT, 5-6 FT, 2 REB, 4 AST, 1 TO
Stef Van Bussel: 23 MIN, 13 PTS, 6-9 FG, 0-0 3PT, 1-2 FT, 7 REB, 1 AST, 3 TO
Cade Kelderman: 33 MIN, 7 PTS, 3-8 FG, 1-5 3PT, 0-0 FT, 1 REB, 2 AST, 1 TO
Josiah Dotzler: 28 MIN, 7 PTS, 2-11 FG, 1-5 3PT, 2-3 FT, 4 REB, 2 AST, 2 TO

Field Goals (FG)	34-64 (53.1%)	35-56 (62.5%)
Three-Point FG (3PT)	9-25 (36.0%)	9-14 (64.3%)
Free Throws (FT)	17-21 (81.0%)	23-32 (71.9%)
Total Rebounds (Offensive)	27 (10)	28 (7)
Assists	12	18
Steals	7	9
Blocks	1	2
Turnovers	15	14
Points Off Turnovers	16	21
Fast Break Points	9	19
Points in the Paint	50	50
Personal Fouls	26	24
Largest Lead	3	16

Up Next- @ Texas A&M 11/6 | 8pm

Northern Kentucky faces a step up in competition Friday against Texas A&M, ranked 29th in KenPom. The Aggies opened their season Tuesday with a 97-66 win over Alabama State, building a 44-29 halftime lead and never trailing. PJ Haggerty led five double-figure scorers with 22 points, Jordan Pope added 17, and Jalen Shelley finished with 14 points and 12 rebounds. A&M forced 25 turnovers, turned them into 30 points and scored 42 points in the paint.

For NKU, the focus starts with protecting the basketball and defending without fouling. Texas A&M attempted 48 free throws against Alabama State, giving itself plenty of scoring opportunities even while shooting just 60.4% at the line. The Norse need to keep Haggerty out of the paint, stay connected to Pope on the perimeter and avoid feeding the Aggies easy transition baskets.

There were opportunities on the glass, though. Alabama State collected 16 offensive rebounds and scored 16 second-chance points. NKU needs to capitalize on those extra possessions while keeping its own turnovers down to give itself a chance Friday.

Follow all the action with Jim Kelch and Rick Broering on Fox Sports 1360 with pregame coverage starting at 7:30 pm on November 6th! You can also watch the game on SECN+.