After a close loss to Wright State on Saturday, NKU has now lost four straight games, with a record of 9-11 overall and are 4-5 in conference play.
With just 11 games left in the season, the Norse sit in eighth place in the conference and are struggling to play consistently, especially against quality opponents. Three of their four conference wins came against the worst teams in the Horizon League, who have a combined record of 14-46.
NKU has yet to prove they can win when it matters but they’ll have an opportunity to prove themselves on Friday.
The Norse’s last seven games have been a struggle, finishing just 2-5 in that span. This came directly after their five-game winning streak, reflecting the inconsistency that is so often the center-point behind this team’s struggles.
Now that NKU is beginning to sink in the conference standings, they are at risk of derailing their season. If the Norse want to turn their season around, they have to first start by beating the extremely stout Milwaukee Panthers.
The Panthers currently sit in fourth place in the conference with a record of 13-7 overall and are 6-3 in conference play. Unlike NKU, Milwaukee had two impressive wins against both Cleveland State and Youngstown State, which they beat with a combined point differential of 27. Even with those wins, the Panthers still trail both teams in the conference standings but are right on their doorstep, only two games back from first place.
Milwaukee is 3-3 in their last six games but is starting to find rhythm, relying on junior Jamicheal Stillwell. Stillwell put on a show, scoring 26 points and shooting 62.5% from the floor against Robert Morris on Sunday. Following this matchup, he was honored as the Horizon League Player of the Week for his efforts, which was a program first.
Even with Stillwell’s 26-point performance, the Panthers fell to the Colonels and proved that his impact, though substantial, isn’t unstoppable. Stillwell is a versatile forward who is a powerful force in the paint, a problem that the Norse must address.
Keeyan Itejere had a solid performance against Cleveland State on January 15, racking up 11 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks. Itejere transferred to NKU after his freshman year with a Marquette squad that won the Big East. Itejere’s matchup against Stillwell may be the difference between winning and losing.
This is the first of two meetings between the teams this season, with NKU dropping five of their last eight games against the Cougars over the past four seasons. Milwaukee has struggled away from home this season, totaling a record of 3-6 in opposing arenas, while the Norse have been dominant at home, totaling a record of 8-4.
The Panthers look to stand tall in the Horizon League standings Friday night against NKU, while the Norse look to come out on top in a seemingly must-win game at Truist Arena.
Tip-off will be at 7:00 PM, with streaming available on ESPN+.