Murray lifts Norse to overtime win over UIC

NKUs+Cole+Murray+had+21+points+Friday%2C+all+on+three+pointers%2C+as+the+Norse+defeated+UIC+in+overtime.

Matt Sexton

NKU’s Cole Murray had 21 points Friday, all on three pointers, as the Norse defeated UIC in overtime.

Northern Kentucky junior Cole Murray scored six of his team-high 21 points in overtime Friday as the Norse defeated Illinois-Chicago 82-69.

After the Flames shot 46.7 percent in the second half to force overtime, UIC made just 1 of 6 from the floor in the extra session.

The Norse raced out in the five-minute overtime, outscoring UIC 12-3 over the first 3:48.

NKU (7-11, 3-4 in Horizon League) put the game away by making 9 of 12 from the free throw line in overtime.

Murray did all of his work from beyond the arc. He attempted eight shots on the night, all from three-point range. He made seven to account for his 21 points.  He also had 5 rebounds.

Four NKU players scored in double figures. Drew McDonald had 18 points and 8 rebounds. Lavone Holland II added 17 points and 7 assists. Jalen Billups had 12 points.

Dikembe Dixson led UIC (2-16, 0-7) with 24 points and 10 rebounds.

Northern Kentucky has won three of its last four. It faces another tough Horizon League test Sunday when Valparaiso comes to BB&T Arena.

Valparaiso is 26th in the RPI entering Sunday’s game. The game is 1 p.m. Sunday, and will be televised on the American Sports Network and ESPN3.

Summary

Friday, Jan. 22, 2016

@ BB&T Arena, Highland Heights, Kentucky

Northern Kentucky 82, Illinois-Chicago 69, overtime

I — 30 – 35 – 4 — 69
N — 34 – 31 – 17 — 82

(69) ILLINOIS-CHICAGO (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Dixson 8-1-7-24, Odiase 3-0-2-8, Young 5-0-2-12, Whitaker 2-0-6-10, Kolawole 3-0-1-7, Torrese 1-0-2-4, Thomas 1-0-2-4. TOTALS 23-1-22-69.

(82) NORTHERN KENTUCKY (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Garnett 3-0-3-9, Billups 5-0-2-12, Holland II 4-1-8-17, Murray 7-7-0-21, Rosenwinkel 1-1-1-4, McDonald 5-0-8-18, Danos 0-0-1-1. TOTALS 25-9-23-82.

FIELD GOALS: I 23/60 (Dixson 8/21, Young 5/11, Odiase 3/8, Kolawole 3/9); N 25/54 (Murray 7/8, McDonald 5/10, Billups 5/6, Holland 4/13)

3 POINT FIELD GOALS: I 1/12; N 9/22 (Murray 7/8)

FREE THROWS: I 22/29 (Dixson 7/9, Whitaker 6/8); N 23/31 (Holland 8/10, McDonald 8/10)

REBOUNDS: I 36 (Young 10, Dixson 10, Odiase 4, McGuire 4); N 37 (McDonald 8, Murray 5, Danos 5, Holland 4, Billups 4)

ASSISTS: I 3; N 14 (Holland 7, Danos 4)

STEALS: I 9 (Kolawole 4); N 4

BLOCKED SHOTS: I 3 (Odiase 2); N 2

TURNOVERS: I 15; N 16