Though two regular-season games were left, followed by the Horizon League tournament, the growing sentiment seemed to be that the next tough test wouldn’t come until an NCAA first-round game.
But rivalries bring out the best in the opposition, especially on their home courts. Yes, even without fans.
Northern Kentucky — starting a frontline that went 6-7, 6-5, 6-3 — fared just fine against the 6-9 Basile, 6-8 Love and a backcourt that includes two 6-5 players.
Marques Warrick, who has been named Horizon League freshman of the week six times, had a game-high 23 points, while teammate Trevon Faulkner chipped in 17, on the way to an 81-75 upset Friday night.
The Norse became only the fourth team to outrebound the Raiders this season — and the first since the lineup change — finishing with a 39-35 edge.
NKU is 6-5 in the series during Nagy’s five years, winning three of the five games at BB&T Arena. The teams play there again in the regular-season finale at 5 p.m. Saturday.
Wright State (17-5, 15-4) held on to a tie for first place because Cleveland State (15-7, 15-4) fell on the road to Purdue Fort Wayne, 75-68.
The Raiders put five players in double figures, and Love notched his 11th double-double of the season with 16 points and 11 rebounds.
But they had trouble stopping the Norse and weren’t as sharp offensively going against a zone defense.
NKU (13-9, 11-6), which has won eight of its last nine games, made 29 of 63 field goals (46%), went 10 of 23 on 3′s and drilled 13 of 16 foul shots.
Basile had 15 points, Jaylon Hall and Trey Calvin 12 and Tim Finke 11 for the Raiders.
But Tanner Holden, the team’s second-leading scorer with a 16-point average, was held under doublefigures for only the third time this season while finishing with nine.
And the Raiders were only 8 of 23 on 3′s. In their three previous games, they went 7 of 14, 11 of 22 and 10 of 19.
The Norse stretched a four-point halftime lead to 67-57 with 7:24 to go when David Bohm hit a jumper, drew a foul on Love and made the free throw to complete the three-point play.
It was 72-64 when Warrick buried a 3 with 4:09 to go.
After Love hit two buckets in a row, Bryson Langdon knocked down a jumper at 1:44 to push the spread to six again.
Basile scored, but Warrick buried another 3 to make it 77-70 with 1:04 left.
The Raiders could get no closer to four the rest of the way.
SATURDAY’S GAME
Wright State at Northern Kentucky, 5 p.m., ESPN3, 106.5
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