When: Wednesday Night | Tip-off: 7:00 PM EST

Venue: Wolstein Center (Cleveland, OH)

TV: ESPN+ | Radio: Fox Sports 1360 AM

The Northern Kentucky Norse return to Cleveland this Wednesday, looking to capitalize on a reeling Vikings squad. While Cleveland State (6-12 Horizon) is mired in a five-game losing skid, KenPom projections suggest a high-octane affair, with the Norse favored by 6. This is a “must-win” for NKU if they hope to climb into the #5 seed conversation for the Horizon League tournament.

TThe Vikings’ Strategy: Bombs Away

Cleveland State’s offensive identity is simple: run and gun. They rank among the nation’s leaders in three-point reliance, with over half of their field goal attempts coming from behind the arc. Even more dangerous? They’re hitting them at a 38% clip (21st nationally).

What to expect from the Vikings:

• Elite Tempo: They will push the pace at every opportunity.
• Early Offense: Look for “kick-out” threes early in the shot clock before the defense sets.
• Foul Hunting: They rank 73rd in free-throw rate and shoot a solid 76% from the stripe.

The Vulnerabilities: A Putrid Defense

The Vikings’ losing record, despite their shooting, stems from the defensive end. Currently ranked 362nd in Adjusted Efficiency, they offer little resistance in the paint and struggle to force turnovers. Their most glaring weakness? Interior protection. The Vikings have 15.6% of their shots blocked, the worst mark in the nation. If the Norse can protect the rim and contest the arc, they should dominate in transition.

Key 1: Rule the Paint (Without the Fouls)

The Norse dominated the interior in the first matchup, outscoring the Vikings 40–16 in the paint and winning the rebounding battle 29–23. To secure the road win, NKU must replicate that physicality. However, discipline is paramount: in that same game, the Norse committed 19 personal fouls, handing Cleveland State 28 free-throw attempts. NKU must stay vertical and use their size to swallow up shots without giving the Vikings easy points at the stripe.

Key 2: Tighten the Perimeter Defense

Cleveland State lived behind the arc in the first meeting, launching 25 threes and burying 14 of them (56%). While the Norse were able to outpace them last time by hitting 13 of their own, they can’t rely on a shootout on the road. NKU’s defensive priority must be high-hands and hard closeouts. Forcing the Vikings into contested, late-clock looks rather than rhythm “kick-out” threes will be the difference-maker.

Key 3: Calculated Speed & Ball Security

With both teams favoring a high-tempo “track meet” style, the pace will be frantic. The Vikings are a prolific shooting team, and the Norse often fall into the trap of taking ill-advised, deep shots when the speed picks up.

• The Goal: Value the ball. The previous matchup saw a combined 36 turnovers.
• The Strategy: NKU needs to keep their turnover count to 11 or fewer.
• The Execution: Use pump fakes and aggressive interior penetration to break down the Vikings’ 362nd-ranked defense rather than settling for long jumpers. Force CSU into live-ball turnovers on the other end to fuel easy transition buckets.

Rotations:

Northern Kentucky Norse

The Norse enter Wednesday expected to have their full complement of players available for the trip to Cleveland.

Cleveland State

Projected Starters

Player	Key Stats (PPG/RPG/APG)	Shooting Splits (FG%/3P%/FT%)	Notes
Tre Beard	13 / 3 / 3	42% / 42% / 88%	High-efficiency lead guard; elite from the line.
Jaidon Lipscomb	13 / 3 / 3	46% / 42% / 84%	Lethal deep threat; averages 1 steal per game.
Chevalier Emery	13 / 1 / 2	47% / 39% / 77%	Scoring spark plug; prone to turnovers (2.0/game).
Foster Wonders	5 / 2 / 1	38% / 33% / 73%	Reliable role player and floor spacer.
Preist Ryan*	6 / 4 / 1	44% / 32% / 68%	Projected to return to the starting lineup.

Note: Lucas Burton (3/2/1) started the last game but averages only 6 minutes per game. He likely yields his spot to Ryan or Harris tonight.

Key Bench Contributors

• Josiah Harris (F): 9 PTS, 7 REB. The Vikings’ best interior presence and glass-cleaner; plays starter minutes (27 mpg).
• Holden Pierre-Louis (F): 3 PTS, 3 REB. Provides length and shot-blocking (1.0 bpg) in limited minutes.
• Kamari Jones (G): 4 PTS. A reliable free-throw shooter (82%) who provides backcourt depth.
• Ivan Spirov (F): 2 PTS, 2 REB. Efficient in short bursts (50% FG).