Northern Kentucky Norse men's basketball

The Northern Kentucky Norse men's basketball team represents Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights, Kentucky, United States. The school's athletic program began a transition to NCAA Division I in the 2012–13 school year. For the first three seasons of the transition (through 2014–15), it was a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference. In the final season of the transition in 2015–16, the Norse joined the Horizon League.[2] The Norse were coached by John Brannen until April 14, 2019 when he left to take a job with the University of Cincinnati Bearcats. Before him the Norse program's coach was Dave Bezold,[3] who had an overall record of 138 wins and 72 losses.[4] On April 23, 2019 Darrin Horn was hired as head coach by Northern Kentucky. [5]

Northern Kentucky Norse
2020–21 Northern Kentucky Norse men's basketball team
UniversityNorthern Kentucky University
Head coachDarrin Horn (2nd season)
ConferenceHorizon League
LocationHighland Heights, Kentucky
ArenaBB&T Arena
(Capacity: 9,200)
NicknameNorse
ColorsBlack, Gold, and White[1]
              
Uniforms
Home
Away
Alternate
NCAA Tournament Runner-up
1996*, 1997*
NCAA Tournament Final Four
1996*, 1997*
NCAA Tournament Elite Eight
1996*, 1997*
NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen
1995*, 1996*, 1997*, 2001*
NCAA Tournament Second round
1995*, 1996*, 1997*, 1998*, 2000*, 2001*, 2011*
NCAA Tournament Appearances
1978*, 1995*, 1996*, 1997*, 1998*, 2000*, 2001*, 2003*, 2007*, 2008*, 2009*, 2011*, 2012*, 2017, 2019
*at Division II level
Conference Tournament Champions
GLVC*: 2003, 2009
Horizon: 2017, 2019, 2020
Conference Regular Season Champions
GLVC*: 1995, 1997, 2007, 2008, 2009
Horizon: 2018, 2019

History

The program began in 1971, then known as Northern Kentucky State College, played out of Newport High School's gymnasium.[6] The team played its first game on November 12, 1971, against Calvary Bible College; winning 109–65.[7]

Over the past 15 years, NKU became one of the country's premier NCAA Division II college basketball programs. The Norse won three Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Tournament Championships in 1994-95, 2002–03, and 2008–09; and GLVC East Division regular season champion in 2006-07, 2007–08, and 2008–09. In NCAA postseason play, NKU made 12 NCAA DII postseason appearances, including back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Men's Division II Basketball Championship in the 1995–96 and 1996-97 seasons.[8]

On December 8, 2011 NKU officially announced it accepted an invitation to join the Atlantic Sun Conference and begin a multi-year transition to Division I beginning in 2012.[6] The Norse began a full Atlantic Sun Conference and Division I schedule in the 2012-13 season,[9] however the university was not eligible for NCAA D-I postseason competition until becoming a full Division I member in 2016.[6]

The team's 2013-14 season schedule featured 3 marquee games against Purdue, UK and North Carolina. This was also the first season in which the team hosted Division I non-conference home games.

In their first season of eligibility, the Norse qualified for the 2017 NCAA tournament. Northern Kentucky is just the seventh school to make the NCAA Tournament in their first year of eligibility.[10]

Postseason

NCAA Division I tournament results

The Norse have appeared in the NCAA Division I Tournament twice. Their record is 0–2.

Year Seed Round Opponent Result
2017#15First Round#2 KentuckyL 70–79
2019#14First Round#3 Texas TechL 57–72

NCAA Division II tournament results

The Norse have appeared in the NCAA Division II Tournament 13 times. Their combined record is 17–14.

Year Round Opponent Result
1978Regional Semifinals
Regional 3rd Place Game		Southern Indiana
Saint Joseph's (IN)		L 78–86
L 87–93
1995Regional Semifinals
Regional Finals		Quincy
Southern Indiana		W 97–91
L 94–102
1996Regional Semifinals
Regional Finals
Elite Eight
Final Four
National Championship		Northern State
Southern Indiana
Cal State Bakersfield
Virginia Union
Fort Hays State		W 82–71
W 99–87
W 56–55
W 68–66
L 63–70
1997Regional Semifinals
Regional Finals
Elite Eight
Final Four
National Championship		Quincy
Oakland
Texas A&M–Commerce
Lynn
Cal State Bakersfield		W 82–54
W 101–87
W 79–67
W 79–58
L 56–57
1998Regional Quarterfinals
Regional Semifinals		Ferris State
Southern Indiana		W 78–63
L 66–81
2000Regional Quarterfinals
Regional Semifinals		Northern Michigan
Kentucky Wesleyan		W 89–57
L 62–66
2001Regional Quarterfinals
Regional Semifinals
Regional Finals		Grand Valley State
Southern Indiana
Kentucky Wesleyan		W 106–102
W 93–92
L 57–59
2003Regional QuarterfinalsFindlayL 76–80
2007Regional Quarterfinals
Regional Semifinals
Regional Finals		Drury
Findlay
Grand Valley State		W 73–68
W 60–56
L 42–66
2008Regional Quarterfinals
Regional Semifinals		Kentucky Wesleyan
Grand Valley State		W 61–55
L 58–62
2009Regional QuarterfinalsLake Superior StateL 72–752OT
2011Regional Quarterfinals
Regional Semifinals		Kentucky Wesleyan
Bellarmine		W 76–74OT
L 82–87
2012Regional QuarterfinalsFindlayL 49–50

NIT results

The Norse have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament one time. Their record is 0–1.

Year Round Opponent Result
2018First RoundLouisvilleL 58–66

Awards and honors

All-American

Includes all NKU players designated as Consensus 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and Honorable Mention All-American

  • Drew McDonald - 2019

Record year-by-year
Statistics overview
Season Coach Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Northern Kentucky (Independent) (1971–1985)
1971–72 Mote Hils 12–15
1972–73 Mote Hils 10–16
1973–74 Mote Hils 12–13
1974–75 Mote Hils 12–14
1975–76 Mote Hils 17–9
1976–77 Mote Hils 15–10
1977–78 Mote Hils 20–8NCAA DII First Round
1978–79 Mote Hils 13–14
1979–80 Mote Hils 8–19
1980–81 Mike Beitzel 10–15
1981–82 Mike Beitzel 15–12
1982–83 Mike Beitzel 22–7
1983–84 Mike Beitzel 17–11
1984–85 Mike Beitzel 16–11
Northern Kentucky (Great Lakes Valley Conference) (1985–2012)
1985–86 Mike Beitzel 15–137–9T–5th
1986–87 Mike Beitzel 15–137–95th
1987–88 Mike Beitzel 15–136–10T–6th
1988–89 Ken Shields[Note 1] 17–118–8T–4th
1989–90 Ken Shields 7–214–149th
1990–91 Ken Shields 14–156–12T–8th
1991–92 Ken Shields 13–158–107th
1992–93 Ken Shields 11–164–14T–8th
1993–94 Ken Shields 12–149–96th
1994–95 Ken Shields 25–416–2T–1stNCAA DII Sweet Sixteen
1995–96 Ken Shields 25–715–52ndNCAA DII Runner-up
1996–97 Ken Shields 30–516–4T–1stNCAA DII Runner-up
1997–98 Ken Shields 23–715–32ndNCAA DII Second Round
1998–99 Ken Shields 16–1212–10T–5th
1999–2000 Ken Shields 26–716–43rdNCAA DII Second Round
2000–01 Ken Shields 27–715–53rdNCAA DII Sweet Sixteen
2001–02 Ken Shields 19–815–5T–2nd
2002–03 Ken Shields 25–616–4T–2nd
2003–04 Ken Shields 16–159–117th
2004–05 Dave Bezold 14–158–127th
2005–06 Dave Bezold 17–1112–72nd (East)
2006–07 Dave Bezold 24–913–61st (East)
2007–08 Dave Bezold 21–814–5T–1st (East)
2008–09 Dave Bezold 24–714–41st (East)NCAA DII First Round
2009–10 Dave Bezold 17–138–104th (East)
2010–11 Dave Bezold 21–912–6T–3rd (East)NCAA DII Second Round
2011–12 Dave Bezold 23–713–52nd (East)NCAA DII First Round
Northern Kentucky (Atlantic Sun Conference – NCAA Division I) (2012–2015)
2012–13 Dave Bezold 11–169–9T–4th
2013–14 Dave Bezold 9–215–13T–8th
2014–15 Dave Bezold 13–177–7T–4th
Northern Kentucky (Horizon League) (2015–present)
2015–16 John Brannen 9–215–138th
2016–17 John Brannen 24–1012–6T–3rdNCAA Tournament First Round
2017–18 John Brannen 22-1015-31stNIT
2018–19 John Brannen 26-913-3T–1stNCAA Tournament First Round
2019–20 Darrin Horn 23–913–52nd
Total:834–569

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

Facility
Main article: BB&T Arena

BB&T Arena opened in 2008 as The Bank of Kentucky Center and serves as the home arena for the NKU Norse men's and women's basketball teams. The 9,200-seat, multi-purpose arena replaced the 1,800-seat Regents Hall, which had served as the home venue since opening in 1973. Regents Hall still serves as the home of women's volleyball and the practice facility for men's and women's basketball.[11]

The name of the current arena changed in 2015 after The Bank of Kentucky was purchased by BB&T.

Notes
  1. Ken Shields of Northern Kentucky University is not the same person as the Canadian basketball coach by the same name.

References
  1. Color Palette (PDF). Northern Kentucky University Athletic Department Brand Identity Guidelines. March 16, 2016. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  2. "Northern Kentucky University to Join Horizon League in July" (Press release). Horizon League. May 11, 2015. Archived from the original on May 14, 2015. Retrieved May 11, 2015.
  3. Russell, Shannon (October 24, 2004). "Bezold living his dream as NKU basketball coach". Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
  4. "Men's Basketball Team History". Northern Kentucky University. November 2010. Retrieved December 23, 2011.
  5. "Darrin Horn to replace John Brannen as NKU Norse head coach". Retrieved April 23, 2019.
  6. "Fun in the Atlantic Sun" (PDF). Northern Kentucky University. December 8, 2011. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
  7. "Men's Basketball Archives: 1971". Northern Kentucky University. Retrieved December 23, 2011.
  8. "NCAA Men's Basketball Championship Tournament Records and Statistics: Division II men's basketball Championship" (PDF). NCAA. 2010. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
  9. AP Staff (December 9, 2011). "NKU jumps to Division I conference, talking with Ohio State about basketball game". The Republic. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
  10. Oren, Paul (March 7, 2017). "Northern Kentucky Wins #HLMBB Championship". Detroit, Michigan: Horizon League. Archived from the original on March 8, 2017. Retrieved March 8, 2017.
  11. "Regents Hall". Northern Kentucky University. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
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