The NKU men’s basketball team opened up their season at home on a rainy Thursday evening, with a showdown versus the Nicholls State Colonels.

When the buzzer sounded, the student section began to fill as they hyped up their team. The bowl of the arena grew in excitement for the first home game of the 2024-25 season. 

The ball was thrown up and tipped to NKU’s Sam Vinsion and the horses were off. The game started out extremely physically with multiple players fighting for rebounds and sliding on the floor.

After two minutes of physical play, Nicholls was the first on the board with a layup made by Byron Ireland. They led for only a few seconds until Hubertas Pivorius answered back with a three-point basket to make the game 3-2, but the Norse wouldn’t hold the lead much longer.

Nicholls went on a 8-0 run, grabbing three offensive rebounds in that span, which transitioned to good looks at the basket. NKU would end their run with a rebound by Vinson kicking it to Keeyan Itejere for a wide open lay up.

NKU would keep fighting back, cutting into the lead and getting as close as four, but Nicholls kept raining down threes, going on a 12-0 run. That saw three perimeter jumpers made by Rob Brown III to make the game 33-15.

A four-minute span would see the Norse kick it into high gear, cutting into the lead before half with a great offensive set headed up by Hubertas, who made a three that started NKU’s 10-0 run. 

Josh Dilling got in on the action, as Vinson skipped a pass to Dilling for three. Dilling would get an assist on the next trip down the floor. The play ran to perfection as Dilling found Trey Robinson wide open for a mid-range jumper that hit nothing but the bottom of the net. 

NKU would end the half with a Dilling jumper, with the game going into half with a score of 35-25 in Nicholls’ favor. 

The Colonels would end the half cleaning the glass with 30 rebounds, grabbing 12 offensive boards that led to 15 second-chance points. NKU struggled to keep Nicholls contained, while also not being able to capitalize on the offensive end.

The second half scoring would start out with Nicholls. They would sink two foul shots, but Robinson for NKU understood the assignment, as the fifth-year grad student took on the whole Nicholls defense, showing his physicality and his craft around the rim. 

Robinson would score on the first three trips down the floor, including a fourth trip that saw him body his way into the paint, pump fake step through and put the shot up as the ball bounced on the rim. The ref’s whistle blew and the ball went through the hoop, leading to an and-one with a made free throw.

A fast break saw Robinson get fouled and make both his free throws, ending his reign of terror on Nicholls that would cut the game to just 39-36.

After a good basket from Nicholls, NKU moved quickly, pushing the ball up the floor with Vinson finding Itejere for a dunk that brought the house down, bringing some life back into the Norse.

With each team making baskets of their own, the Norse kept finding themselves down by four. Dilling would take matters into his own hands, showing his experience, taking a big time three to cut it down to 48-47.

Vinson made one free throw, and another made free throw by Randall Pettus II saw the Norse lead for the first time since three minutes into the game, 49-48.

NKU would lead by as much as five points with five minutes to go in the game and would hold this lead until the two minute mark. Two made free throws by Nicholls and a made layup by Ireland cut the score to 58-57 with one minute to go.

Robinson would come down and get fouled, making one of two free throws, pushing the game back to a two-point game 59-57.

A timeout would be called and Nicholls Head Coach Tevon Saddler, the youngest head coach in college basketball, would draw up the play that would tie the game or take the lead.

The ball was inbounded and the play was executed, but Ireland missed a layup that was grabbed by Nicholls’ Ike Cornish, who passed it right back inside to Jamal West Jr., who made a highly-contested layup that tied the game up at 59-59.

The Norse inbounded the ball to Dilling as he dribbled up the court as the shot clocked winded down. As it hit nine seconds, it was go time for the Norse, who ran the play with a screen set by Robinson that led to a down hill drive by Dilling. He put up the shot that fell short.

Nicholls grabbed the rebound and were out and running like a racehorse. Cornish passed it to Ireland who ran the length of the court, weaving his way through three NKU defenders, finding himself face to face with Itejere. He went straight up into his body, bounced off Itejere and let the ball fly. It hit the top of the square on the backboard and banked right into the basket.

The bank was open and Ireland got his pot of gold. Nicholls was up 61-59 with only 0.2 seconds left on the clock.

After a timeout by NKU, Vinson heaved the ball to the end of the court that was intercepted by a Nicholls’ player, ending the game with a score of 61-59.

After the game, Norse Head Coach Darrin Horn gave credit to Saddler and his staff.

“I think he is one of the bright young coaches in college basketball. Their team came in and played much harder and tougher than we did tonight.”

Horn also talked about Robinson’s contribution in the second half.

“He looked like what a fifth-year senior should in a game like tonight. He was very aggressive on both ends of the floor and played very physical, which we need from him,” Horn said.

The Norse’s tough start to the season continues, starting out the season 0-3 for the first time since 2013-14, but NKU hopes to find the light at the end of the tunnel on Nov. 19 when they welcome their rivals across the river, the number 17 University of Cincinnati Bearcats to Truist Arena at 7 p.m. This game will also be streaming on Bally Sports Ohio.