In Highland Heights, Kentucky, Northern Kentucky, the No. 7 seed, triumphed over No. 10 seed Detroit Mercy in a first-round matchup of the Horizon League Tournament. Boosted by Dan Gherezgher Jr.’s impressive performance, which included a 19-point contribution, the Norse continued their postseason journey.
Northern Kentucky (17-15) is set to compete against No. 2 seed Cleveland State in the quarterfinal round scheduled for Thursday. Gherezgher’s performance saw him go 5-for-11 from the field, including 3-of-7 from beyond the arc, while making a perfect 6-of-6 from the free-throw line. Trey Robinson contributed significantly with 18 points, five assists, and also recorded three steals. Meanwhile, both LJ Wells and Josh Dilling lent admirable support by adding 16 points each.
On the side of Detroit Mercy, which ended the season with an 8-24 record, Orlando Lovejoy stood out by scoring 21 points while also securing four assists and three steals. Mak Manciel contributed 13 points, and TJ Nadeau added another 11, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide for the Titans, who suffered their seventh consecutive defeat.
The Norse set the pace early, seizing the lead after just over five minutes in the game and holding it throughout. With Gherezgher amassing 14 of his points in the first half, Northern Kentucky managed to reach halftime with a 49-37 lead. In the second half, they firmly established their dominance by executing a 12-0 scoring run, expanding their lead from six to a comfortable 18 points, ensuring their victory.
