Illinois-Chicago (8-5, 5-3) vs. Northern Kentucky (7-8, 5-5)
BB&T Arena, Highland Heights, Kentucky; Friday, 6 p.m. EST
BOTTOM LINE: Two junior guards will be on display as Teyvion Kirk and Illinois-Chicago will face Trevon Faulkner and Northern Kentucky. Kirk has scored 21 percent of the team’s points this season and is averaging 13.2 over his last five games. Faulkner is averaging 17.4 points over the last five games.
BIG MEN ON CAMPUS: Northern Kentucky’s Faulkner has averaged 16.9 points and 5.1 rebounds while Marques Warrick has put up 14.6 points. For the Flames, Kirk has averaged 14.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 6.9 assists while Michael Diggins has put up 11.6 points and 6.2 rebounds.
CLAMPING DOWN: The Norse have given up only 69.1 points per game across 10 conference games, an improvement from the 75 per game they gave up to non-conference opponents.
FACILITATING THE OFFENSE: Kirk has been directly responsible for 42 percent of all Illinois-Chicago field goals over the last three games. The junior guard has 20 field goals and 13 assists in those games.
WINLESS WHEN: Northern Kentucky is 0-5 this year when it scores 69 points or fewer and 7-3 when it scores at least 70.
UNDEFEATED WHEN: The Norse are 6-0 when they score at least 74 points and 1-8 when they fall shy of that total. The Flames are 5-0 when they hold opponents to 66 points or fewer and 3-5 when opponents exceed 66 points.
DID YOU KNOW: Northern Kentucky has posted an excellent offensive rebound percentage of 36.3 percent this year. That figure is the 13th-highest in Division 1. The offensive rebound percentage for Illinois-Chicago stands at just 22.2 percent (ranked 308th).
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