HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. — It wasn’t the Wildcats or the Cardinals, but the Norse, who were the first Kentucky college men’s basketball team to punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament.

Northern Kentucky University players and coaches arrived back on campus Wednesday after becoming Horizon League champions Tuesday night.

What You Need To Know

  • The NKU Norse men’s basketball team won the Horizon League Championship for the fourth time in seven seasons

  • The Norse are the first Kentucky team to clinch a berth in the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament

  • The team returned to campus on Wednesday to a warm welcome from fans

  • Guard Trey Robinson says “Why not us?” when it comes to advancing in the tournament

The Norse were welcomed back to campus Wednesday to applause and a lot of high fives from fans who came to greet the team outside of Truist Arena. Even with pieces of the Horizon League Conference Championship nets tied to their hats, some players were still processing just what they had accomplished.

“When I woke up, I was like, I can’t believe what just happened,” said Xavier Rhodes, a fifth year guard who scored nine points in the game. “All the hard work we put in during the summer. Workouts, putting up shots, all returned the favor back during this tournament.”

Sam Vinson, a sophomore guard, scored 16. Vinson, who’s from Fort Thomas, said it was special to bring the title home for NKU fans.

“As a kid, I would always watch this tournament like I’m sure the rest of the team would. And it was always a dream of mine growing up to play in March Madness, play in the tournament. And it still hasn’t hit me yet that we’re going to go do that,” he said.

Fans like Donnie Spangler came to show their appreciation after the Norse beat Cleveland State 63–61 in the championship game to narrowly clinch their invitation to the big tournament.

“It was cool. It was neat. I’d never done that before,” said Spangler, after high-fiving some players. “It makes everybody up here happy. You know they’re close to the community.”

The community has a lot to be proud of. This is the fourth time NKU has won the Horizon League in the last seven seasons. In 2020, though, the team’s chance to go to the NCAA Tournament was taken away by the pandemic.

Last season, they lost the Horizon League Conference Championship by a single point. So despite the team’s success, for many players, this victory felt like redemption.

“It doesn’t happen without university commitment, and it doesn’t happen without a lot of really good players. I mean, let’s be honest about it. Players are the ones that make the plays in March that matter on both ends of the floor. Our guys stepped up and did that,” said head coach Darrin Horn. “And it’s great that we’ve done it here in our program four of the last seven years. But we don’t want to take it for granted. We know how special it is.”

Junior guard Marques Warrick led the team in scoring with 18 points.

“It went back and forth for a long time. So it was just about staying together, mentally tough, and having the confidence,” Warrick said.

Junior guard Trey Robinson had 12 points, along with three blocks. To Robinson, winning the championship felt like the culmination of a lot of things, including fan support.

“It just means so much to us. Having them behind us, it’s awesome,” Robinson said. “It’s perfect, just to do it with this group of guys. I can’t even explain how all of us feel right now. It’s just a perfect situation. Way better than I thought it was gonna be, honestly.”

Robinson said competing in the NCAA Tournament is something he’s always dreamed of.

“It’s surreal just being here. I came here because I thought we could do this. And to finally get it done by third year is big time,” he said. “Why not us? Why can’t we steal a game or two? You never know what can happen in March.”

Selection Sunday is on March 12. The Norse will have to wait until then to find out what team they match up with in the tournament.