The NKU men’s basketball team defeated the Chattanooga Mocs 87-71 for their second win of the season on Dec. 15.

 “It was nice for the kids to get a win.  They really do want to get better and these kids practice all the time,” Dave Bezold, men’s head basketball coach said. “So to have a team rewarded for that is very important.”

 The Norse got off to a slow start to the game, allowing the Mocs to score the first basket, and control the first four minutes of the game with a 10-4 lead.

NKU was able to turn that around by starting with a three-point basket by freshman guard Cole Murray, which led to a streak of 12 unanswered points. The Norse went back and forth with the Mocs, but left the first half with the leading the Mocs 41-38.

 In the second half the Norse took control of the game right off the bat. In the first seven minutes, the Norse only allowed two points to be scored against them as they scored 16 unanswered. A three-pointer from freshman guard Dean Danos gave the Norse a 22 point lead with 13 minutes left in the half.

 NKU continued their charge throughout the half for an 87-71 win that received a standing ovation from the crowd at the Bank of Kentucky Center.

The Norse were lead by six players with double digit points for the day. In his first actual home game in the Bank of Kentucky Center, NKU junior guard Jordan Jackson put up 16 points and six rebounds. Sophomore guard Anthony Monaco and sophomore forward Jalen Billups both scored 12 points with sophomore guard Tyler White and freshman Danos following with 10.

 “It’s a big sigh of relief,” Jackson said. “I think we’ve really been working hard in practice and putting in the extra work to put us in this position. It really feels good to have those results at the end of the day.”

 The Norse’s win brings them to 2-7 for the season record as of now. The team’s next game will be at the BOKC against the 5-5 Hampton Pirates on Dec. 18, at 7 p.m.