Pregame Preview: Purdue Fort Wayne (15-12, 9-7) vs Northern Kentucky (16-11, 8-8)
The most important game for NKU the rest of the season is the next one. That starts with Purdue Fort Wayne coming to town. The Mastodons have dropped 4 of their last 6, though they did just hold serve at home with a five-point win over IU Indy.
With the regular season tightening up, this one carries real weight. Let’s look at the current standings, map out what needs to happen for NKU to climb into the top five and secure a home game in the Horizon League Tournament, and break down what a potential first-round matchup could look like. Below are the current Horizon League standings:
| Team | Conf | GB | STRK |
|---|---|---|---|
Wright State
|
12-4 | – | W1 |
Oakland
|
10-6 | 2 | L3 |
Robert Morris
|
10-7 | 2.5 | W4 |
Green Bay
|
10-7 | 2.5 | L1 |
Purdue Fort Wayne
|
9-7 | 3 | W1 |
Detroit Mercy
|
9-7 | 3 | W2 |
Northern Kentucky
|
8-8 | 4 | W2 |
Milwaukee
|
7-10 | 5.5 | W2 |
Cleveland State
|
6-10 | 6 | L3 |
Youngstown State
|
6-10 | 6 | L1 |
IU Indy
|
3-14 | 9.5 | L3 |
Right now, NKU sits alone in seventh, a game and a half ahead of eighth-place Milwaukee and just one game behind Purdue Fort Wayne, who the Norse host Wednesday. That makes this one as direct as it gets in the standings.
The first meeting between NKU and PFW came back in early December. NKU built a 15-point halftime lead and held PFW to just 29 points in the first half, but the Mastodons flipped it after the break and escaped with a 79-77 win. Corey Hadnot II led the comeback with 25 points and 13 free throw attempts, setting the tone for the second-half swing.
Below is one possible path for NKU to secure a home first-round game. The image lays out the remaining schedule and serves as a rooting guide that supports a climb to the 5 seed. It starts with NKU closing the regular season with four straight wins. From there, you can see how specific results around the league would shape the Horizon League bracket.
Even then, winning the final four does not automatically guarantee NKU a fifth or sixth seed. There are still tiebreakers and other outcomes that could shift positioning, which is what makes this final stretch so important.
Northern Kentucky did receive some positive news on the injury front. On Monday’s coach’s show, Darrin Horn said Kael Robinson is expected to give it a go Wednesday. He was cleared for live action today (Tuesday) and is set to see the floor against PFW.
It is still unclear how many minutes he will play or how effective he will be right away after the ankle injury. But at minimum, it gives NKU a chance to be whole again after a stretch that was defined by injuries and different rotations.
Let's check out the full scouting report ahead of this pivotal matchup between Purdue Fort Wayne and Northern Kentucky.
Purdue Fort Wayne's Scouting Report
★ = Starter of Previous Game
★ #2 Mikale Stevenson – Fifth-Year Guard, 6'2" 190 lbs – Fort Wayne, IN / South Side
Previous Schools: Grambling State / Milwaukee Area Technical College / Independence CC
Season Averages: 29.5 MIN, 14.6 PTS, 3.5 REB, 3.1 AST, 1.6 STL, 0.1 BLK, 2.2 TO, 43.7 FG%, 81.7 FT%, 35.8 3PT%
Stevenson is their second leading scorer and has started every game this season. He struggled in the first matchup against NKU, finishing 4-13 from the field for 11 points with 4 turnovers, though he did add 7 assists and 3 steals.
He averages more than 12 shot attempts per game and is at his best attacking downhill. In the first meeting, most of his looks came off drives, but NKU did a strong job staying in front, cutting off clean lanes, and forcing him into tough, reckless shot attempts.
Defensively, he allows nearly 9 points per game. The Norse targeted him successfully in the first matchup, scoring 10 points against him, and that is likely an area they will look to exploit again.
★ #9 DeAndre Craig Jr. – Junior Guard, 6'0" 180 lbs – Chicago, IL / Mount Carmel
Previous School: Denver
Season Averages: 28.8 MIN, 13.6 PTS, 3.3 REB, 2.8 AST, 1.3 STL, 0.0 BLK, 1.5 TO, 43.3 FG%, 79.4 FT%, 39.2 3PT%
Craig is the team’s third leading scorer and, like Stevenson, has started every game this season. He finished with 16 points in the first matchup against NKU, shooting 3-5 from three. All five of his attempts from deep were catch-and-shoot opportunities, including a couple created off long skip passes to the corner. Limiting those clean looks will be key.
★ #10 Corey Hadnot II – Junior Guard, 6'3" 190 lbs – Atlanta, GA / Cypress Creek (Houston, TX)
Season Averages: 32.7 MIN, 20.3 PTS, 4.2 REB, 3.3 AST, 1.9 STL, 0.4 BLK, 1.9 TO, 52.8 FG%, 70.2 FT%, 34.1 3PT%
Hadnot is the guy who can, and already has, beaten you this season. He has been a problem for everyone in the league, leading the Horizon League in scoring and the only player averaging 20+ points per game. He is also top 10 in the league in FG%, FT%, and minutes.
He got to the line a career-high 13 times against NKU in the first matchup, finishing with 25 points, 4 assists, and 4 steals. He still does a lot of his damage in transition, with more than 26% of his shot attempts coming in the open floor. He is coming off a 31-point game against IU Indy where he scored 18 points in transition. Slowing him down early has to be a major priority for Northern Kentucky.
The efficiency split is real. In PFW’s 15 wins, Hadnot shot 126-211 from the field (59.7%). In their 12 losses, he shot 83-185 (44.9%). He is going to score, the key is how efficiently NKU lets him get there. Make every touch difficult, limit transition chances, and that gives the Norse their best path to flipping the result the second time around.
★ #11 Maximus Nelson – Senior Forward, 6'8" 225 lbs – Appleton, WI / Appleton
Previous School: Valparaiso
Season Averages: 26.7 MIN, 7.9 PTS, 2.9 REB, 0.7 AST, 0.7 STL, 0.1 BLK, 0.6 TO, 37.5 FG%, 85.7 FT%, 37.1 3PT%
Nelson remains almost exclusively a perimeter threat for PFW. He has taken just 9 non three-point attempts all season, so his role is clear. Space the floor and knock down catch-and-shoot threes.
Outside of the top of the key, where he is shooting 22.2%, Nelson is hitting 36.4% or better from every other spot behind the arc. Nearly all of his attempts come off the catch, so this is about discipline. Do not lose him in transition, stay attached on kick-outs, and force him to put the ball on the deck. If NKU runs him off the line and makes him a driver, that is a win defensively.
★ #13 Deangelo Elisee - Graduate Student, 6'9" 245 lbs - Nassau, Bahamas / North Florida Educational Institute
Previous School: Triton College
Season Averages: 12.7 MIN, 3.3 PTS, 2.2 REB, 0.3 AST, 0.3 STL, 1.3 BLK, 0.6 TO, 69.8 FG%, 65.0 FT%, 50.0 3PT%
Elisee has started the last 12 games, though he is still averaging under 14 minutes per start. He was not a major factor in the first matchup, finishing with 4 points on 2-2 shooting in 11 minutes. Most of his offense comes off cuts, dump-offs, and as the roll man in pick-and-roll action. He is not someone they run sets for, but he benefits from defensive breakdowns around the rim.
Where he really impacts the game is on the defensive end. He ranks fourth in the Horizon League with 35 blocks despite limited minutes. In his last 13 games, he has recorded 2 or more blocks in 7 of them. NKU has to be strong and decisive around the rim because he can erase shots quickly.
