Post Presence Prevails: Wells Drops 29 in 87–71 Win Over PFW
With just a handful of games left in the regular season, every possession carries weight in the Horizon League standings. Wednesday night’s matchup with Purdue Fort Wayne wasn’t just another conference game, it had real seeding implications for both sides trying to position themselves for March. Northern Kentucky responded with one of its more complete efforts of the year, setting the tone early and protecting its home floor.
First Half
Defensive Tone from the Opening Possession
Purdue Fort Wayne struck first with a three, but it didn’t take long for the Norse to respond with the kind of activity that defined the half. NKU jumped a passing lane less than two minutes in, Tae Dozier chased down offensive rebounds, and suddenly the game started tilting toward Northern Kentucky’s pressure.
The Mastodons entered the night as one of the best teams in the league at protecting the basketball, but NKU’s length and swarm mentality disrupted rhythm early. By halftime, Fort Wayne had committed 11 turnovers and never fully settled into clean offensive flow. The Norse weren’t just guarding their man, they were shrinking the floor and attacking passing windows.
After the game, speaking with Jim Kelch and Rick Broering, Coach Darrin Horn pointed directly to that stretch:
“I think we had 7 steals in the first half and just looked so aggressive to the basketball.”
That aggression translated to transition chances. Dan Gherezgher and Donovan Oday both converted in the open floor, and Dozier’s work on the glass fueled extra possessions that kept the pressure constant.
Wells Finds His Rhythm
LJ Wells didn’t explode immediately. He missed a couple early looks in the paint and passed out of one touch that he normally attacks. But once he saw one drop, the tone shifted.
Midway through the half, Wells scored on a strong interior finish that seemed to unlock him. From there, he became decisive. He sealed deep, finished through contact, and started reading double teams with patience. His presence changed how Fort Wayne defended. When the Mastodons crowded gaps and swiped at drives, NKU simply reversed it inside to Wells and played through him. That inside-out balance opened space for shooters and prevented Fort Wayne from loading up on perimeter pressure.
Robinson Sparks the Separation
The game was tight for much of the first 12 minutes. There were seven lead changes overall, and neither side led by more than five during that early stretch. Then came the push.
Kael Robinson, returning from injury in limited minutes, delivered two huge threes in a three-minute span that shifted the momentum. The first gave NKU the lead. The second stretched it. Both came off clean ball movement and confident rhythm.
Dozier added a transition three of his own, and Wells capped the run with a late paint finish after an offensive rebound. What had been a one-possession game turned into a nine-point halftime advantage, 42–33.
The numbers reflected the control. NKU shot 50% from the field in the first half and established its presence on the glass early.
Second Half
Wells Sets the Post-Halftime Tone
Northern Kentucky didn’t waste time reestablishing control after the break. LJ Wells opened the half with a strong interior finish, converted the free throw, and followed it with another paint touch that forced Purdue Fort Wayne to collapse. Even as the Mastodons hit an early three to trim the margin, NKU kept going back inside.
The Mastodons Make Their Run
Purdue Fort Wayne eventually found a rhythm, and it came in transition. DeAndre Craig started attacking downhill, turning live-ball situations into quick layups and trips to the line. Corey Hadnot II added another fast-break finish that briefly cut the lead to five and forced the Norse to refocus.
This was the stretch where the game tightened. A couple turnovers gave Fort Wayne life, and the building got a little uneasy as the margin shrank. But Northern Kentucky never let it flip. Tae Dozier controlled the glass during that window, grabbing contested rebounds that prevented second chances, and Ethan Elliott delivered a nice finish at the rim to halt momentum.
Role Players Deliver the Daggers
Once the Norse absorbed that punch, they answered with balance. Shawn Nelson stepped into a three at the end of the shot clock that stretched the lead back out. Dan Gherezgher hit a key shot and later finished inside. Donovan Oday added another timely basket to keep separation.
It wasn’t one player taking over. It was a collective response. Horn summed that part of the night up perfectly afterward:
“Making 10 threes is great, but what’s more important is it was seven different guys.”
That depth showed in the closing minutes. Wells protected the rim with a pair of blocks, NKU cleaned up defensive rebounds, and the Norse calmly knocked down free throws to seal it. Fort Wayne had its push, but Northern Kentucky had too many answers.
Final Numbers and Takeaways
LJ Wells’ second-half dominance allowed NKU to control nearly the entire final 20 minutes. Purdue Fort Wayne made a push and cut the deficit to five, but between Wells’ interior scoring and timely shot-making from the perimeter, the Norse pushed the lead right back out and it never truly tightened again.
From the opening possessions, it was clear the game plan was to establish Wells. He started 0-3 from the field, but once he settled in, he flipped the script, finishing 10-13 the rest of the way. PFW’s frontcourt trio of Elisee, Duffy, and Levin simply had no consistent answer. When on the perimeter, Wells used a quick jab step to get Elisee leaning, then attacked downhill with control and strength. It was steady, methodical dominance. He poured in 23 of NKU’s 45 second-half points and dictated the tempo throughout.
Tae Dozier delivered another impactful performance as well. He posted a collegiate career-high 15 rebounds, including four on the offensive glass, and continues to evolve into a reliable perimeter threat. Through the first 23 games of the season, he had just three games with multiple made threes. He now has done that in each of the last five.
Beyond the makes, the efficiency jump stands out. Before this recent five-game stretch, Dozier was shooting just 16.7% from the two corner three spots combined, 6-36. Over the last five games, that number has surged to 47.4%, 9-19, from the corners. That growth has helped add real spacing to NKU’s offense.
Kael Robinson provided a strong lift in his return after missing the previous three games with an ankle injury. He finished with 11 points on 4-8 shooting, including 2-5 from three, and looked confident from the moment he stepped on the floor. There was no hesitation in his release, and that decisiveness is when he is at his best offensively.
Even with Purdue Fort Wayne trying to involve him defensively, I thought Ethan Elliott quietly put together one of his better all-around games. He allowed just seven points defensively and posted a team-best plus-23 in his second-highest minute total of the season. What continues to stand out most is his passing feel. Whether it is firing a deep outlet to ignite transition or threading a ball in the halfcourt, he consistently delivers it where it needs to be.
Elliott finished with four assists and just one turnover, but one of his best reads did not even result in points. Just past the 10-minute mark in the second half, after nearly 25 seconds of stagnant offense, Elliott used an LJ Wells screen at the top of the key and attacked downhill. As three defenders collapsed on him in the paint, he quickly flicked the ball out to Dan Gherezgher for a wide-open look just before the shot clock expired. The shot came up short, but the recognition and perfect placement of the pass perfectly captured the control he played with all night.
Check out the play below:
With yesterday’s win, Northern Kentucky moves to 9-8 in Horizon League play, tied for sixth with Purdue Fort Wayne. According to PlayoffStatus.com, the Norse still do not fully control their path to a 4, 5, or 6 seed, but their odds improved significantly. Their chances at the 4 seed increased from 5% to 9%, the 5 seed jumped from 13% to 22%, and the 6 seed moved from 26% to 31%.
With three regular season games remaining, every result matters. Each win pushes NKU closer to securing a top-five finish and the opportunity to host a first-round Horizon League Tournament game.
Northern Kentucky’s Key Players
LJ Wells: 35 MIN, 29 PTS, 10-16 FG, 1-2 3PT, 8-11 FT, 4 REB, 2 PF, 5 AST, 2 TO, 2 BLK, 3 STL
Dan Gherezgher: 31 MIN, 13 PTS, 5-14 FG, 2-9 3PT, 1-2 FT, 2 REB, 2 PF, 3 AST, 2 TO, 0 BLK, 0 STL
Donovan Oday: 31 MIN, 12 PTS, 4-12 FG, 1-6 3PT, 3-4 FT, 2 REB, 2 PF, 4 AST, 2 TO, 0 BLK, 3 STL
Kael Robinson: 17 MIN, 11 PTS, 4-8 FG, 2-5 3PT, 1-2 FT, 5 REB, 2 PF, 0 AST, 0 TO, 0 BLK, 0 STL
Ethan Elliott: 35 MIN, 9 PTS, 4-4 FG, 1-1 3PT, 0-0 FT, 5 REB, 1 PF, 4 AST, 1 TO, 0 BLK, 1 STL
Tae Dozier: 36 MIN, 8 PTS, 3-6 FG, 2-5 3PT, 0-0 FT, 15 REB, 4 PF, 2 AST, 1 TO, 0 BLK, 0 STL
Purdue Fort Wayne’s Key Players
DeAndre Craig: 31 MIN, 24 PTS, 7-14 FG, 2-4 3PT, 8-10 FT, 5 REB, 2 PF, 2 AST, 4 TO, 0 BLK, 1 STL
Corey Hadnot II: 38 MIN, 20 PTS, 7-15 FG, 3-7 3PT, 3-5 FT, 1 REB, 3 PF, 3 AST, 2 TO, 0 BLK, 0 STL
Mikale Stevenson: 33 MIN, 6 PTS, 2-8 FG, 2-6 3PT, 0-0 FT, 6 REB, 0 PF, 4 AST, 3 TO, 0 BLK, 0 STL
Maximus Nelson: 33 MIN, 6 PTS, 2-4 FG, 2-4 3PT, 0-0 FT, 6 REB, 3 PF, 0 AST, 1 TO, 0 BLK, 0 STL
|
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Field Goals (FG) | 22-53 (41.5%) | 32-62 (51.6%) |
| Three-Point FG (3PT) | 10-27 (37.0%) | 10-29 (34.5%) |
| Free Throws (FT) | 17-22 (77.3%) | 13-19 (68.4%) |
| Total Rebounds (Offensive) | 29 (5) | 37 (11) |
| Assists | 12 | 18 |
| Steals | 4 | 8 |
| Blocks | 1 | 2 |
| Turnovers | 13 | 11 |
| Points Off Turnovers | 12 | 14 |
| Fast Break Points | 14 | 23 |
| Points in the Paint | 24 | 44 |
| Personal Fouls | 20 | 18 |
| Largest Lead | 5 | 16 |
Up Next- @ Youngstown State 2/22 | 2pm
NKU defeated Youngstown State 94-79 on January 4, but the Penguins are trending upward. They are coming off a dominant 106-82 home win over Cleveland State and have now won four of their last six games, including road victories at Purdue Fort Wayne and Oakland. Youngstown State is clearly trying to peak at the right time and will present a tough road challenge for the Norse on Sunday.
