Pregame Preview: Northern Kentucky (14-8, 6-5) vs Detroit Mercy (8-12, 5-6)
Northern Kentucky's last win was against Detroit Mercy three games ago on January 15th. The Norse opened the game playing downhill, forcing misses, and turning those misses into transition chances, which set the tone for the night. Dan Gherezgher’s immediate shot-making helped NKU jump out in front, but the real separator came from how consistently the Norse answered every Detroit push. The Titans made multiple runs behind London Maiden’s interior scoring and TJ Nadeau’s shot-making, trimming the margin to two late in the first half, but each time the game tightened, NKU responded. A late first-half stretch flipped the game for good, as Northern Kentucky closed on a 16–3 run to end the half.
The second half reinforced the same themes and highlighted what will matter most in a rematch. LJ Wells was the focal point, exploiting a clear matchup advantage by scoring through contact, cleaning the glass, and getting to the line repeatedly. Detroit had no consistent answer for his physicality.
Defensively, the Norse’s fist and zone coverages limited Detroit’s efficiency, holding the Titans to tough perimeter looks and preventing sustained momentum. The Norse went on to win in dominating fashion 96-71. For Detroit Mercy, the first meeting showed they can hang around when they score inside and hit timely threes, but the margin for error is thin if they cannot slow Wells, handle NKU’s pressure, or survive long defensive stretches without fouling.
Since NKU last saw the Titans, Detroit Mercy has gone 1–2. They beat IU Indy by three, then dropped an 83–76 decision at Purdue Fort Wayne before losing the Battle of Detroit at home, 95–87, against Oakland.
After watching Wright State find success by doubling LJ Wells and Kael Robinson on the block, it would not be surprising to see the Titans try something similar in this matchup. Wells dominated Detroit Mercy in the first meeting, pouring in a career-high 35 points on 11-for-15 shooting and 11-for-13 at the free throw line. Slowing him down will require a clear adjustment.
Below is the post doubling look Wright State used in an effort to disrupt Wells’ rhythm:
Rebounding is the game shaper in this matchup. NKU won the glass in the first meeting, but Detroit Mercy still came away with 15 offensive rebounds and turned those into 20 second chance points. That ability to generate extra possessions is not an outlier. The Titans lead the Horizon League at 39.0 rebounds per game and average 13.7 offensive boards, a mark that ranks 22nd nationally.
Detroit Mercy’s bench has also been a major factor all season. The Titans rank second in the Horizon League and 61st nationally at 28.8 bench points per game, highlighted by a season-high 59 bench points against IU Indy. NKU cannot assume production drops when Detroit Mercy goes to its reserves.
The scouting report below is based on what Detroit Mercy did and did not do against the Norse in the first meeting, along with potential areas for adjustment.
Detroit Mercy's Scouting Report
★ = Starter of Previous Game
★ #1 Tyler Spratt – Redshirt Freshman Guard, 6'5" 200 lbs – Farmington, MI / North Farmington
Previous School: Cleveland State
Season Averages: 21.0 MIN, 9.1 PTS, 3.4 REB, 1.1 AST, 0.7 STL, 0.3 BLK, 1.1 TO, 38.6 FG%, 73.8 FT%, 35.6 3PT%
Against NKU, Spratt finished with seven points on 3-for-9 shooting, including 1-for-5 from three, along with two rebounds, two steals, and four fouls in 16 minutes. His approach was clear early. He hunted perimeter looks, with four of his five three-point attempts coming from the left side of the floor and the lone outlier at the top of the key. He did not attempt a single shot off the bounce, instead floating along the perimeter, ready to fire when a window opened and keeping the ball moving when it did not.
For the Norse, the adjustment is straightforward. Continue to close out with discipline and avoid giving him clean catch-and-shoot opportunities. If NKU can force Spratt to put the ball on the floor, it takes away most of his offensive impact and limits his effectiveness.
★ #5 Orlando Lovejoy – Senior Guard, 6'3" 190 lbs – Detroit, MI / Summit Academy North
Previous School: Eastern Michigan
Season Averages: 29.5 MIN, 12.8 PTS, 3.6 REB, 4.0 AST, 2.0 STL, 0.1 BLK, 1.6 TO, 38.8 FG%, 90.8 FT%, 20.0 3PT%
Lovejoy had a tough night against the Norse, struggling to convert shots he typically makes. He finished 4-for-17 from the field, including 1-for-3 from three, with four rebounds, three assists, and three steals in 31 minutes. The biggest issue was in the midrange, where he went just 1-for-10 on jumpers, an area where he usually finds success. Despite the numbers, Lovejoy largely got to his preferred spots, but the shots simply did not fall. For NKU, the priority remains staying in front of him and contesting every midrange look without giving him easy driving lanes.
That same pattern showed up in Detroit Mercy’s most recent game against Oakland, a team that deploys a similar defensive approach to NKU. Lovejoy was held to eight points on 4-for-7 shooting as the Grizzlies controlled his touches and limited his volume. Over the course of the season, Lovejoy is shooting 10.8% worse against zone coverage, albeit in a smaller sample size. Against NKU and Oakland specifically, he is just 2-for-11 versus zone-type defenses. Expect the Norse to lean more heavily into fist coverage against the Titans than they did in the previous game against Wright State.
Below are two examples from the Detroit Mercy game that highlight how Oday and Gherezgher defended Lovejoy and took away his comfort in the midrange. In the first clip, Oday works around a screen, stays connected, and still makes the pull-up difficult, with late help coming from Wells to crowd the space. In the second, Gherezgher contains Lovejoy one-on-one, staying in front without overcommitting and also denying the passing angle into the post. Both possessions show the level of discipline and effort required to force Lovejoy into tough, low-quality midrange attempts.
#11 Lance Stone – Freshman Guard, 5'8" 160 lbs – Detroit, MI / Renaissance
Season Averages: 19.2 MIN, 6.5 PTS, 1.4 REB, 2.0 AST, 0.3 STL, 0.1 BLK, 1.1 TO, 29.6 FG%, 86.3 FT%, 27.9 3PT%
Against NKU, Stone scored eight points off the bench on 3-for-11 shooting, including 2-for-6 from three, and finished with a -21 plus-minus while on the floor. His recent production has been limited, as he has reached double figures just twice in his last 11 games and has struggled with efficiency throughout the season, shooting under 30% from the field.
Even so, Stone remains a confident perimeter shooter who is willing to take difficult attempts. If the Norse can stay in front and contest with length, they should be able to consistently make his looks uncomfortable and limit his impact again.
#20 London Maiden – Junior Forward, 6'8" 250 lbs – Cleveland, OH / Richmond Heights
Previous School: Blinn College
Season Averages: 16.1 MIN, 6.4 PTS, 3.1 REB, 0.4 AST, 0.1 STL, 0.3 BLK, 1.1 TO, 53.6 FG%, 68.6 FT%, 0.0 3PT%
London Maiden did not warm up and played just one minute against Oakland due to illness. With five full days between that game and Friday’s rematch with NKU, he should be ready to play a normal role this time around. The last time he faced the Norse, he scored 11 points on a perfect 5-for-5 shooting night and added six rebounds, four of them on the offensive glass. His physical presence around the rim consistently created second chances.
Three of Maiden’s five made baskets came off offensive rebound putbacks. On two different plays, Dozier and Wells were nearby but never fully put a body on him. The third putback came after a near block attempt by Donovan Rakotonanahary. When the block didn’t materialize, Maiden had an easy finish as NKU was out of rotation and no one was matched up with him.
Defensively, Maiden allowed eight points, the second most he has given up all season. That was part of why LJ Wells was able to have such a big night, with all three of Maiden’s personal fouls coming while defending Wells. His fourth foul was not a basketball play, but a technical, called after he yelled back toward the crowd while lining up for a free throw with seven minutes remaining.
★ #23 Legend Geeter – Senior Forward, 6'8" 230 lbs – River Rouge, MI / River Rouge
Previous School: Eastern Michigan
Season Averages: 22.8 MIN, 7.7 PTS, 5.6 REB, 1.8 AST, 0.4 STL, 0.2 BLK, 1.2 TO, 50.5 FG%, 64.7 FT%, 27.3 3PT%
Geeter is coming off a collegiate career-high 24 point performance against Oakland, shooting 8-for-13 from the field with nine rebounds and four assists. Over his last six games, he is averaging more than 13 points per game and enters the rematch with clear offensive momentum.
Despite the big scoring night, Geeter struggled defensively in that Oakland game, allowing a career-high 16 points. That included a pair of made threes and two separate and-1 finishes by Grizzlies players, highlighting some issues guarding in space and on closeouts.
Against NKU, Geeter’s offensive production came almost entirely from point blank opportunities. His looks were limited to block dump offs, short baseline finishes, and offensive rebounds. While he mixed in a three and two mid range jumpers against Oakland, his overall shot profile remains unchanged. 67% of his attempts on the season come right at the rim, and that is where he does the majority of his damage.
★ #30 Ryan Kalambay – Sophomore Forward, 6'9" 240 lbs – Brampton, Ontario / Fort Erie Academy
Season Averages: 16.1 MIN, 3.2 PTS, 4.4 REB, 0.6 AST, 0.3 STL, 0.9 BLK, 0.8 TO, 54.2 FG%, 66.7 FT%, 0.0 3PT%
Kalambay’s primary role is on the glass. In the loss to Oakland, he pulled down 11 rebounds, seven of them on the offensive end. He has recorded double-digit rebounds in three of his last eight games, and his activity around the rim continues to define his impact.
Offensively, nearly all of his production comes from second chance opportunities. Half of his made field goals this season have been offensive rebound putbacks, with very little coming outside of the paint. Against NKU, Kalambay started but logged just 15 minutes. He finished with five points and five rebounds.
★ #33 TJ Nadeau – Sophomore Guard, 6'5" 205 lbs – South Lyon, MI / Detroit Catholic Central
Season Averages: 24.9 MIN, 13.7 PTS, 3.6 REB, 0.9 AST, 0.6 STL, 0.2 BLK, 1.0 TO, 49.4 FG%, 83.9 FT%, 45.7 3PT%
Nadeau is the Titans’ leading scorer and ranks eighth in the Horizon League in three point field goals made per game at 2.3. While he has not attempted enough threes to qualify as the league leader in three point percentage, his efficiency is very real. He knocked down four threes against the Norse and followed that with another four against Oakland. He has made at least two threes in eight of his last ten games.
Against NKU, Nadeau was a major reason the Titans were able to keep the game tight in the first half, knocking down four threes before the break. He scored on a variety of perimeter looks, including a transition three, two shot fake one dribble sidestep threes, and one off ball movement three coming off post action.
Detroit Mercy has only two consistent perimeter shooting threats in Nadeau and Spratt, which puts even more emphasis on tracking Nadeau. The Norse will need to do a better job finding him in transition, not losing him on the perimeter, and staying disciplined on closeouts.
Below are the four threes he knocked down against NKU.
