Mark Hawkins

MARQUETTE, Mich. - Think it’s cold in the upper peninsula of Michigan during late December on the outside? Just check out the first-half shooting performance by Northern Kentucky University inside the Berry Events Center on Tuesday night.

NKU shot just 5-for-26 (19.2 percent) from the field in the first half against Northern Michigan. The Norse also converted a frigid 33.3 percent of their free throws (3-for-9) during the first 20 minutes and missed 12 of their 13 attempts from three-point range.

NKU managed just 14 points before halftime and never recovered as Northern Michigan coasted past the Norse, 69-58. Northern Michigan, which held a 29-14 halftime advantage, led by as many as 22 points in the second half and improved to 5-5.

“It wasn’t a case of bad shots, but it was a case of bad shooting,” NKU head coach Dave Bezold said. “We had wide-open looks, we had layups and we had free throws. We didn’t make anything in the first half, and it is hard to stay in a game when you can’t make shots.”

One player who had little trouble making shots was 6-foot-7 forward Ricky Volcy, who netted 13 of his game-high 26 points in the first half. Volcy was 12-for-14 from the field and also grabbed nine rebounds for the Wildcats.

Volcy’s brother, Marco, finished with 10 points and nine rebounds. Northern Michigan shot 45.9 percent from the field and won the rebounding battle by a 44-36 margin.

“Northern Michigan outplayed us in every respect, and there are no excuses,” said Bezold, whose team dropped its third straight game to fall to 5-5 on the season.

Northern Michigan built a 45-23 lead with 15:04 remaining in the game on a three-pointer by Randy Alexandre. NKU sliced the deficit to 55-43 with 6:19 left when Kevin Schappell drained a three-pointer, but a turnover and a basket by Ricky Volcy stopped the Norse’s momentum.

“We were within 12 points and had the ball, but then we travel with the ball, and that really hurt us because we were making a good run,” Bezold said.

Sean Rowland led NKU with 11 points, and he also grabbed six rebounds. Mike Kelsey and Schappell each added 10 points for the Norse, while freshman Mark Hawkins chipped in with a career-high nine points, three rebounds and two steals.

“I think we found six or seven guys who really battled in the second half, and those are the guys who are going to play Thursday (against Michigan Tech),” Bezold said. “I thought Hawkins, Rowland and Schappell really played hard and helped us a great deal.”

NKU finished the game at 36.4 percent shooting from the field after making 51.7 percent of its shots in the second half. The Norse are now 2-1 all-time in the series against Northern Michigan.

NKU will face Michigan Tech at 7 p.m. Thursday at Houghton, Mich., to conclude the two-game road trip in the upper peninsula. The Norse upset then-No. 6 Michigan Tech, 55-53, Nov. 19 in the season opener in Regents Hall.