They improved to 13-11 overall and, more importantly, stayed alive in the Horizon League race at 8-5.
They started the day in fourth, two behind the leaders in the loss column with seven games to go.
Trey Calvin scored 21 points, leaving him six shy of reaching 2,000. Alex Huibregtse had 17 points and 10 assists.
A.J. Braun also had a double-double with 13 points and 14 rebounds, his fourth of the year and first in 12 games. He added five blocks.
Brandon Noel had 16 points and Tanner Holden 13.
“Our goal today was to get them under one point per possession. We didn’t quite do it. But it’s way better than what we’ve been doing,” coach Scott Nagy said on his post-game radio show.
“For us to out-rebound them by eight — because they’re big and physical and athletic, but our kids were so much more physical tonight. That’s what I’ve been complaining about and complaining about. We just had a different look. We were ready to go at the start.”
Trailing 59-57 with just over 10 minutes to go, the Raiders went on a 14-0 run to take command.
Calvin hit a pair of 3′s, Huibregtse had two buckets, Holden added a three-point play and Noel chipped in a free throw to cap the run at 6:38.
The Norse went 0-of-7 from the field in that stretch. They managed to cut the 12-point deficit to three with 2:01 to go, but they couldn’t get any closer.
Marques Warrick had 20 points for the HL preseason favorites, who fell to 11-12 and 6-6 with their third straight loss.
The Norse were playing without 6-foot-5 guard Sam Vincent, who was named third-team all-league and made the all-defensive team last season. He suffered a season-ending injury in December.
“They’re the second-best defensive team in the league. Darrin (NKU coach Darrin Horn) does such a great job. Obviously, losing Sam Vincent hurts them. They’re doing a great job without him. His kids play hard. And I think they play the right way. I have a ton of respect for him since he’s been here,” Nagy said.
“We knew they’d be ready, too. We were coming off a loss, they were coming off a loss. We knew both teams would be ready to go. But our kids — I can’t say how proud I am of them.”
THURSDAY’S GAME
Detroit Mercy at Wright State, 7 p.m., ESPN+, 101.5, 1410
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