Coach Darrin Horn Hits 300 Career Wins as NKU Norse Outlast Milwaukee 67-62

Published by

NKY Bracketology

on

February 7, 2026

Final Score: NKU 67 – Milwaukee 62

First and foremost: Congrats to Coach Horn on his 300th career win! A massive milestone for Coach, though postgame he was already focused on getting #301.

Tonight’s homecoming affair brought a solid crowd of 2,903. This was one of the first times this year I felt like the NKU faithful were able to really rally the guys and give the Norse a true home court advantage. I would love to continue to see crowds like that for the remainder of the year!

Game Flow

This was a physical rock fight. Outside of LJ Wells, the team did an excellent job staying out of foul trouble. LJ played just 24 minutes tonight, picking up two very early fouls and his third with just seconds left in the half.

At the first media timeout, NKU led 9-6; however, the Panthers grabbed the lead heading into the under-8 timeout and held it for a good portion of the first half. NKU struggled to contain Milwaukee’s shooters in the corner, allowing several open threes before the break.

After the half, NKU jumped out to a quick lead as Dan Gherezgher found his flow. The Norse also excelled at drawing contact, putting the Panthers at 4 team fouls by the under-16 media timeout. NKU extended the lead to 11 points by the under-12, but by the under-8, the lead had shrunk to 3. The closing minutes were a battle. Leading 59-54 at the under-4, the Norse iced the game at the free-throw line. The defense was much improved down the stretch, forcing tough looks and a critical turnover on the final possession.

Reviewing the Three Keys

1. Play physical without fouling NKU did this extremely well, fouling just 15 times and surrendering only 11 free-throw attempts—bucking a frustrating recent trend. On the offensive end, they drew 18 Milwaukee fouls and went 17-23 from the stripe. While not perfect, it was more than serviceable.

2. The Deep Ball Lottery The flow of the game dictated the pace, but NKU shot 28 threes, making 10. Shooting 36% from deep is a huge step in the right direction for a team that loves the perimeter. Conversely, while Milwaukee shot 37% from three, the Norse defense limited them to just 19 attempts.

3. Steal the Glass It was a rocky start on the boards, but NKU eventually took control. The Norse finished with 8 offensive boards and 32 total rebounds (outpacing Milwaukee’s 30). Keeping the Panthers (ranked 89th nationally in offensive rebounding) off the glass was a primary reason NKU walked away with a win.

Bonus Key: Turnovers NKU excelled here! They forced 11 Milwaukee turnovers, resulting in 20 Norse points. While NKU also turned it over 11 times, those mistakes only resulted in 6 Panther points.

Player Performances

NKU’s starting lineup shifted tonight due to the Kael Robinson injury.

Dan Gherezgher (Player of the Game): Dan was spectacular, especially in the second half. He finished with 22 points on an efficient 5-10 from deep and 8-16 from the field, adding 4 rebounds and 3 assists.
Shawn Nelson: His defense and rebounding shined tonight. Despite not scoring, Shawn grabbed 6 boards and had only one turnover. Coach Horn was complimentary of his contributions in the wake of recent injuries.
LJ Wells: Limited to 24 minutes due to foul trouble, LJ went 3-7 from the field. However, he was strong at the line (6-8) to finish with 12 points, 2 rebounds, and a block.
Ethan Elliott: Looking back to full health, the floor general played 37 minutes, finishing with 6 points, 3 rebounds, and 6 assists.
Donovan Oday: “DO” struggled at times but stepped up when it mattered most. He finished with 10 points and 3 critical steals, including the game-sealer.

Rotation:

Tae Dozier: Critical off the bench with 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists. He provided great defense and timely buckets.
Addison Archer: Played 13 minutes and impacted the game well, helping bridge the gap while LJ was in foul trouble.
Bryce Darbyshire: A massive help in the first half. He kept the Norse in it with two huge threes, finishing with 6 points and 3 rebounds.

Up Next:

NKU travels to IU Indy on Thursday night before a weekend off! Valhalla Voice will be back with full coverage of the Horizon League race and a preview of Thursday’s matchup!