Northern Kentucky Dominates Youngstown State 94-79
Sunday, January 4, 2026, 4:00 PM ET · Truist Arena
Northern Kentucky Norse 94, Youngstown State Penguins 79, final. Our NCAAB picks are sealed as a hash before kickoff and settled in public, losses included.
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Quick answers
Who won Youngstown State Penguins vs Northern Kentucky Norse?
Northern Kentucky Norse beat Youngstown State Penguins 94-79 at Truist Arena on January 4, 2026.
Who was favored in Youngstown State Penguins vs Northern Kentucky Norse?
Northern Kentucky Norse were the favorite at DraftKings, moneyline -205 (about 67% implied). The favorite won.
In a decisive matchup at Truist Arena, the Northern Kentucky Norse triumphed over the Youngstown State Penguins with a final score of 94-79. This victory marks a continuation of Northern Kentucky's strong performance, improving their home record to 13-5 and showcasing their offensive capabilities. The Norse have averaged 82.2 points per game over their last ten outings, indicating a potent scoring ability that was on full display in this contest.
Northern Kentucky entered the game with a solid recent form, posting a record of 7-3 in their last ten games, including a two-game winning streak. They demonstrated their scoring prowess by averaging 78.2 points in their last five games while allowing 78.4 points, highlighting a tendency for high-scoring affairs. Their home record stands at 5-2, which reflects their effectiveness at Truist Arena. In contrast, Youngstown State has struggled recently, losing their last two games and holding a record of 6-4 over their last ten. The Penguins averaged 76.8 points while allowing only 67.1 points during that stretch, indicating a more defensive style of play.
The Penguins' away record of 1-2 further emphasizes their challenges on the road, while their overall record of 8-8 raises questions about their consistency this season. In their previous meetings, Northern Kentucky and Youngstown State have split their two encounters, with Northern Kentucky winning the most recent matchup on March 1, 2025, by a score of 88-79, while Youngstown State had secured a victory earlier in the season on January 8, 2025, winning 72-61.
In terms of injuries, the block does not specify any players missing from either team, suggesting that both squads were at full strength for this important fixture. The betting market, as provided by DraftKings, had Northern Kentucky favored by 4.5 points, with a total set at 146.5. The odds reflected the Norse's home advantage and recent form, while Youngstown State's moneyline was listed at 170.0, indicating they were viewed as underdogs.
The conditions for the game were not detailed in the block, but the atmosphere at Truist Arena was likely charged, given the stakes of the matchup and the home crowd's support for Northern Kentucky. As the game unfolded, viewers would have noticed key moments, including Donovan Oday's contributions from the free-throw line and Rich Rolf's long-range shooting, which helped maintain Northern Kentucky's lead in the second half.
Overall, the game showcased Northern Kentucky's offensive firepower and ability to capitalize on their home court, while Youngstown State will need to regroup after this setback as they look to improve their consistency moving forward.
Odds
| Book | Spread | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| DraftKings | NKU -4.5 | 146.5 o -105 / u -115 | Youngstown State Penguins +170 · Northern Kentucky Norse -205 |
Leaders
- PointsDan Gherezgher26Northern Kentucky Norse
- AssistsDan Gherezgher5Northern Kentucky Norse
- ReboundsLJ Wells11Northern Kentucky Norse
- PointsCris Carroll26Youngstown State Penguins
- AssistsJason Nelson6Youngstown State Penguins
- ReboundsCris Carroll5Youngstown State Penguins
Recent form
Northern Kentucky Norse
Last 10: 7-3Streak W282.2 scored · 75.2 allowed per game5-2 at home
- W81-72vs IU Indianapolis JaguarsJan 1
- W79-77at Robert Morris ColonialsDec 30
- L74-85vs Charleston CougarsDec 21
- L77-82vs Oakland Golden GrizzliesDec 18
- W80-76at Bellarmine KnightsDec 13
- W92-53vs Brescia BearcatsDec 10
- L77-79at Purdue Fort Wayne MastodonsDec 6
- W95-80vs Cleveland State VikingsDec 4
- W74-65vs Boston University TerriersNov 29
- W93-83vs Wofford TerriersNov 26
Youngstown State Penguins
Last 10: 6-4Streak L276.8 scored · 67.1 allowed per game1-2 away
- L83-85vs Oakland Golden GrizzliesJan 1
- L68-73vs Detroit Mercy TitansDec 29
- W74-65vs South Carolina Upstate SpartansDec 20
- L77-80at Robert Morris ColonialsDec 18
- W103-52vs Thiel TomcatsDec 14
- W78-55at IU Indianapolis JaguarsDec 6
- W69-68vs Wright State RaidersDec 3
- W87-64vs Chicago State CougarsNov 28
- W67-61vs Georgia Southern EaglesNov 24
- L62-68at UNC Greensboro SpartansNov 23
Standings
| Team | Overall | Games behind | In conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wright State | 23-12 | - | 15-5 |
| Robert Morris | 22-11 | 2 | 13-7 |
| Green Bay | 18-15 | 3 | 12-8 |
| Detroit Mercy | 17-15 | 3 | 12-8 |
| Oakland | 16-16 | 3 | 12-8 |
| Purdue Fort Wayne | 17-15 | 4 | 11-9 |
| Northern Kentucky | 20-14 | 5 | 10-10 |
| Youngstown State | 15-17 | 7 | 8-12 |
| Milwaukee | 12-20 | 7 | 8-12 |
| Cleveland State | 11-22 | 9 | 6-14 |
| IU Indianapolis | 7-25 | 12 | 3-17 |
Box score
| Stat | Youngstown State Penguins | Northern Kentucky Norse |
|---|---|---|
| Field goals | 28-70 | 30-58 |
| Field goal % | 40 | 52 |
| Three-pointers | 10-34 | 9-20 |
| Three-point % | 29 | 45 |
| Free throws | 13-23 | 25-32 |
| Free throw % | 57 | 78 |
| Rebounds | 33 | 45 |
| Offensive rebounds | 12 | 9 |
| Defensive rebounds | 21 | 36 |
| Assists | 13 | 19 |
| Steals | 7 | 8 |
| Blocks | 2 | 3 |
| Turnovers | 10 | 14 |
| Team turnovers | 0 | 1 |
| Technical fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Technical fouls, total | 0 | 0 |
| Flagrant fouls | 0 | 0 |
| Points off turnovers | 18 | 13 |
| Fast-break points | 7 | 27 |
| Points in the paint | 32 | 40 |
| Fouls | 24 | 19 |
| Largest lead | 1 | 28 |
| Lead changes | 2 | 2 |
| Time in front | 1 | 98 |
How the scoring went
- 2nd Half42-64Donovan Oday makes 25-foot three point jumper (Donovan Rakotonanahary assists)
- 2nd Half45-64Rich Rolf makes 23-foot three point jumper (Cris Carroll assists)
- 2nd Half45-66Dan Gherezgher makes driving layup
- 2nd Half45-69Tae Dozier makes 25-foot three point jumper (Donovan Oday assists)
- 2nd Half48-69Cris Carroll makes 26-foot three point jumper (Drew King assists)
- 2nd Half50-69Rich Rolf makes layup
- 2nd Half50-71Tae Dozier makes 2-foot alley oop dunk (Dan Gherezgher assists)
- 2nd Half52-71Jaiden Haynes makes layup
- 2nd Half54-71Tyler Robinett makes layup
- 2nd Half54-73Tae Dozier makes 3-foot dunk
- 2nd Half55-73Tae Blackshear makes free throw 1 of 3
- 2nd Half56-73Tae Blackshear makes free throw 2 of 3
- 2nd Half57-73Tae Blackshear makes free throw 3 of 3
- 2nd Half58-73Cris Carroll makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half59-73Cris Carroll makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half62-73Cris Carroll makes 27-foot three point jumper (Jason Nelson assists)
- 2nd Half64-73Bryson Dawkins makes driving layup
- 2nd Half66-73Bryson Dawkins makes 11-foot floating jump shot
- 2nd Half66-76Dan Gherezgher makes 24-foot three point jumper (Ethan Elliott assists)
- 2nd Half66-78Ethan Elliott makes driving layup
- 2nd Half66-79Kael Robinson makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half66-80Kael Robinson makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half66-81Donovan Oday makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half66-82Donovan Oday makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half68-82Cam Polak makes layup
- 2nd Half68-83Ethan Elliott makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half71-83Cris Carroll makes 25-foot three point jumper
- 2nd Half71-84Dan Gherezgher makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half71-85Dan Gherezgher makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half73-85Jason Nelson makes driving layup
- 2nd Half74-85Cris Carroll makes free throw 1 of 3
- 2nd Half74-86Donovan Oday makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half74-87Donovan Oday makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half77-87Rich Rolf makes 23-foot three point jumper (Jason Nelson assists)
- 2nd Half77-88Donovan Oday makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half77-89Donovan Oday makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half79-89Jaiden Haynes makes 4-foot jumper (Jason Nelson assists)
- 2nd Half79-90Dan Gherezgher makes free throw 1 of 2
- 2nd Half79-91Dan Gherezgher makes free throw 2 of 2
- 2nd Half79-94LJ Wells makes 22-foot three point jumper (Dan Gherezgher assists)
Win probability
Above the line favours Northern Kentucky Norse, below favours Youngstown State Penguins.
Venue
- Truist ArenaHighland Heights, KY
- Attendance1930
- OfficialsLarry Scirotto, Damon Allen, King Whetstone
Elsewhere
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- Men's NCAA basketball 2026-27 Way-Too-Early Top 25 rankings
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- With $6.5 million left on deal, UCLA fires AD Martin Jarmond