Northern Kentucky Norse fall short of upset against top-seeded Houston Cougars

The Northern Kentucky University Norse fell short in their third attempt at a NCAA Tournament win Thursday night, falling to the No. 1 seed Houston Cougars.

FINAL: Houston defeats NKU Norse, 63-52

NKU put up a tough fight here in Legacy Arena, but fell short of becoming the second 16-seed to beat the 1-seed in the first round.

NKU finishes 19-of-69 from the floor (27.5%) and 5-of-33 from 3-point range. The 52 ties the lowest point total the Norse have scored this year, tying the 52 at Florida Atlantic (31-3), who plays Memphis in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Chris Brandon had 6 points and 14 rebounds for NKU. Sam Vinson led the Norse in scoring with 15 and had 8 rebounds. Trey Robinson had 11 points. Marques Warrick had a night to forget, going 2-of-18 from the floor with 9 points.

NKU forced 17 turnovers, but only 3 in the last 12 minutes of the game.

NKU finishes 22-13.

NKU trails by 9 with 36.8 to play

A putback dunk by Chris Brandon pulls NKU with nine at 61-52 with 36.8 to play. Norse call timeout. Brandon has 6 points and 14 rebounds.

With the score at 53-48 earlier, Jarace Walker made his presence known again in a big way, scoring a dunk off a lob pass from J'Wan Roberts, then blocking a shot in the lane by Trey Robinson on NKU's next trip.

1:49: Houston 59, NKU 50

Tramon Mark and Jamal Shead make tough shots for Cougars.

4:23 2nd half: Marques Warrick 3 pulls Norse within 5, 53-48

Marques Warrick hits a 3-pointer to pull NKU within five at 53-48 with 4:23 to play. Norse trap Jamal Shead at midcourt and he calls timeout.

NKU shooting 30 percent (18-60) and 5-29 from 3, but rebounding margin is down to 10. Chris Brandon has 12 rebounds for the Norse and Vinson 7.

Despite the overall rebounding disadvantage, NKU has 14 offensive boards to 11 for Houston. Assistant coach for NKU has that number on a whiteboard, along with 15 deflections.

7:06 2nd half: Houston takes biggest lead, 53-43

Emanuel Sharp scored his third basket of the half on a tough, athletic floater in the lane. Jamal Shead drove in for a layup. Trevon Faulkner scored his first basket of the game, a 3-pointer, but NKU trails 53-43 with 7:06 to play.

Houston living up to its reputation defensively. The Cougars allow 56.5 points per game and 36.5% field-goal percentage. NKU shooting actually up to 31.4% tonight.

10:47 2nd half: Emanuel Sharp puts Cougars ahead by 9

Freshman Emanuel Sharp, who is third on the Cougars in 3-pointers made with 38, came off the bench and hit two on consecutive possessions to put Houston ahead by 9, 47-38. NKU calls timeout with 10:47 to play in regulation.

11:58 2nd half: NKU can't get shots to fall and trails by 5, 41-36

The Norse caught some tough luck with the game tied at 36 and a chance to take the lead. Marques Warrick shot two 3-pointers and the ball took multiple soft bounces before falling away. Houston point guard Jamal Shead then shot a three that took two soft bounces and rolled in, and UH led 39-36.

Xavier Rhodes tried to save the ball and tumbled over the press table across from the NKU bench, but came back onto the floor without injury.

NKU has forced 14 turnovers. Houston only averages 10 per game, but the Norse are still shooting only 30 percent from the floor (13-43) and being outrebounded by 11 (31-20).

NKU trails 36-34 with Warrick at the line

NKU tied the game at 32 on a basket by Sam Vinson and 3-pointer by Trey Robinson on a possession when the Norse kept the ball alive and had three or four shots. Marques Warrick then scored his first points of the game and will go to the line after a TV timeout.

A lot of fans from the first game have left, so it's not as boisterous as it was when Auburn was rallying past Iowa tonight in a game 100 miles from its campus. But there's a decent amount of Norse fans here.

Marcus Sasser is questionable to return in the second half. Houston Chronicle reporter Joseph Duarte tweeted that he aggravated his groin injury in the first half.

Halftime: NKU stays in it, trailing by 3, 30-27

Despite being dominated inside, and leading scorer Marques Warrick being held scoreless, the Norse are within 3 at halftime, 30-27.

Houston is outrebounding NKU by 10, 23-13, and has 18 points in the paint to 12 for the Norse. Houston is shooting 46.4% (13-28) and NKU only 33.3% (10-30).

Jarace Walker has 10 points and 5 rebounds for Houston. J'Wan Roberts has 7 points and 6 boards. Marcus Sasser has only 5 points on 2-of-5 shooting.

Highlands grad Sam Vinson leads NKU with nine points and five rebounds, two of those rebounds leading to putback after hustle plays. Trey Robinson has 8 points. Xavier Rhodes has 6 points and two assists. Marques Warrick, NKU's leading scorer at 19.1 ppg, is scoreless on 0-of-6 shooting.

NKU has forced 9 turnovers, which has been a big key.

Houston has biggest lead at 6, 26-20, with 3:26 to go

Terrance Arecenaux scored on a putback for Houston. Jarace Walker blocked a Norse layup, then later hit two free throws. Trey Robinson was fouled on a 3-pointer and hit two of the three foul shots. Houston outrebounding NKU by 8, 20-12, and has 7 offensive boards.

NKU shooting just 7-of-24. Freshman A'lahn Sumler into the game for the Norse.

Houston takes 22-18 lead on post dominance

Houston comes out of the media timeout with J'Wan Roberts getting a putback and Jarace Walker an open dunk off a pass from Jamal Shead, who has four assists. Roberts now with 8 points and Roberts 7. NKU timeout with 6:37 left in first half.

7:46 1st half: Tied at 18

J'Wan Roberts, a 6-foot-7 junior, had all five of Houston's points in that sequence including two baskets in the lane. Cougars continuing to get what they want in the lane. Sam Vinson had a hustle putback and has 7 points and 4 rebounds. Xavier Rhodes had a nifty stepback jumper but just committed his second foul and has been subbed for by Hubertas Pivorius. Trevon Faulkner has played four minutes.

Marques Warrick is scoreless so far, 0-4 from the field with Tramon Mark and Jamal Shead guarding him.

10:49 1st half: NKU leads 14-13

NKU senior Chris Brandon scored his first points on a nice pass from senior point guard Xavier Rhodes. Sam Vinson scored on a putback and has 5 points.

UH has turned the ball over three times in the last 3 minutes, including a charging call on Jarace Walker, who has six points and three rebounds. The Norse don't have an answer for him so far except to take charges. NKU 5-14 from the floor, Houston 6-12.

13:45 1st half: Houston leads NKU 9-8

After a slow start, both teams started hitting shots. Jarace Walker, a 6-foot-8 freshman projected to be an NBA lottery pick this summer, scored Houston's first two baskets, one on a dunk. NKU senior Xavier Rhodes scored the first points of the game on a layup two minutes into the contest. Sam Vinson and Trey Robinson followed with 3-pointers for the Norse.

Marcus Sasser, questionable to play tonight, hit a 3-pointer for Houston.

The Enquirer will update this story