Northern Kentucky Norse men's basketball

Northern Kentucky Norse
2024–25 Northern Kentucky Norse men's basketball team
UniversityNorthern Kentucky University
Head coachDarrin Horn (6th season)
ConferenceHorizon League
LocationHighland Heights, Kentucky
ArenaTruist Arena
(capacity: 9,200)
NicknameNorse
ColorsBlack, gold, and white[1]
     
Uniforms
Home jersey
Team colours
Home
Away jersey
Team colours
Away
Alternate jersey
Team colours
Alternate
NCAA tournament runner-up
1996*, 1997*
NCAA tournament Final Four
1996*, 1997*
NCAA tournament Elite Eight
1996*, 1997*
NCAA tournament Sweet Sixteen
1995*, 1996*, 1997*, 2001*, 2007*
NCAA tournament round of 32
1978*, 1995*, 1996*, 1997*, 1998*, 2000*, 2001*, 2007*, 2008*, 2011*
NCAA tournament appearances
1978*, 1995*, 1996*, 1997*, 1998*, 2000*, 2001*, 2003*, 2007*, 2008*, 2009*, 2011*, 2012*, 2017, 2019, 2023
*at Division II level
Conference tournament champions
GLVC: 2003, 2009
Horizon: 2017, 2019, 2020, 2023
Conference regular season champions
GLVC: 1995, 1997, 2007, 2008, 2009
Horizon: 2018, 2019

The Northern Kentucky Norse men's basketball team represents Northern Kentucky University in Highland Heights, Kentucky, United States. The school's athletic program began a transition to NCAA Division I in the 2012–13 school year. For the first three seasons of the transition (through 2014–15), it was a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference. In the final season of the transition in 2015–16, the Norse joined the Horizon League.[2] The Norse were coached by John Brannen until April 14, 2019, when he left to take a job with the University of Cincinnati Bearcats. Before him the Norse program's coach was Dave Bezold,[3] who had an overall record of 138 wins and 72 losses.[4] On April 23, 2019 Darrin Horn was hired as head coach by Northern Kentucky.[5] Since joining Division I in 2012–13, the Norse have made three NCAA tournament appearances, most recently in 2023.

  1. ^ "Color Palette". Northern Kentucky University Athletic Department Brand Identity Guidelines (PDF). March 16, 2016. Retrieved March 18, 2019.
  2. ^ "Northern Kentucky University to Join Horizon League in July" (Press release). Horizon League. May 11, 2015. Archived from the original on May 14, 2015. Retrieved May 11, 2015.
  3. ^ Russell, Shannon (October 24, 2004). "Bezold living his dream as NKU basketball coach". Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
  4. ^ "Men's Basketball Team History". Northern Kentucky University. November 2010. Retrieved December 23, 2011.
  5. ^ "Darrin Horn to replace John Brannen as NKU Norse head coach". Retrieved April 23, 2019.