NKU traveled to Charleston to face the Cougars for their first-ever matchup as the Cougars welcomed Chris Mack as their new head coach.
Trey Robinson got the offense started for the Norse, but the Cougars came in hot going on a 9-2 run as Charleston’s Derrin Boyd and CJ Fulton drained four threes back-to-back. The Norse would trail 12-4 early.
Still unable to find the glass, the Norse would remain scoreless for four minutes, creating a 19-point deficit by allowing the Cougars a 10-0 run.
Randall Pettus II broke the scoring drought, hitting the Norse’s first three of the night after the team went 0-7 from deep to start the game. The Norse would trail 31-15.
Sam Vinson would help keep the Norse alive with a layup and a jump shot to create a single-digit deficit as the Cougars now led 35-27.
With 10 seconds left in the half, Boyd hit his fourth three, shooting 4-4 from beyond the arc. Vinson responded with a quick three before the buzzer with the Cougars leading 38-30 going into the half.
Vinson got NKU started in the second half with a three to make it a five-point game but he fouled Boyd shooting three, and Boyd went 3-3 at the free throw line to extend the Cougars lead to 41-33.
With 11 minutes remaining in the second half, fouls flew back and forth, with both teams trading free throws as neither team could make a shot from the field for three minutes. The lid finally came off the basket, and Gherezgher Jr. made a jumper to try and get the Norse back in the game as they trailed 60-51.
Josh Dilling had been quiet on offense all day, making his first shot of the day with five minutes left. No matter what the Norse did on offense, the Cougars always had an answer, and AJ Smith responded with a layup to make it a 13-point game.
With 3 minutes left at the last TV timeout, Charleston led 69-56, and NKU couldn’t seem to come up with any answers defensively to stop the Cougars, as they were shooting 52.9% from the field and 45.8% from beyond the arc.
NKU and Charleston would trade baskets and Robinson fouled out with one minute remaining. The Norse could never find an offensive rhythm, shooting only 39.1% from the field and 25.9% from deep.
After a physical game with both teams combining for 29 fouls, Charleston defeated the Norse 79-64.
Vinson led NKU with 21 points, six rebounds and three assists, Robinson led in rebounds with 12 and added 12 points on the day.
The Norse fall to 1-5 on the season and look to bounce back against Bellarmine on Saturday. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. at Truist Arena.