Northern Kentucky stayed unbeaten, defeating South Dakota 102-94 behind career-best performances from Noah Pagotto and Eric Acker. The Norse built a double-digit second-half lead, then held off a late Coyote rally by converting free throws down the stretch.

By the Numbers
  • NKU shot 62.5% from the field and a Division I-record 64.3% from 3-point range.
  • Pagotto scored 30 points; Acker had 22 points and a Norse Division I-era single-game-record 12 assists.
  • Willie Foster added 22 points, giving NKU three players with at least 22—the first such trio in the program’s Division I era.
  • The Norse improved to 2-0; South Dakota fell to 1-1.
Yes, But

Despite leading by double digits for much of the second half, NKU saw its advantage shrink to four in the final minutes. The Norse also committed 14 turnovers for the second straight game, but forced 15 and scored 21 points off them.

Bottom Line

NKU’s potent shooting and standout individual performances carried it through a close finish—but the late defensive pressure showed the Norse still need to close out leads more cleanly.