HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - Junior Marcus Burk notched his fourth 30-point game of the 2019-20 campaign but the IUPUI basketball team fell short at Northern Kentucky on Friday night (Feb. 14), 84-70. The Jags built a 12-point lead in the first half, but saw the host Norse storm back on a night in which they shot 53 percent overall and 47 percent from three-point range. 

Burk had little help as IUPUI connected on just 42 percent overall and 6-of-19 (31.6 percent) from three-point range. Burk connected on 11-of-20 shots and all six of his free throw attempts to account for the bulk of the Jaguars' scoring. Grant Weatherford added 10 points and both Elyjah Goss and Jaylen Minnett contributed nine apiece. Goss just missed a double-double by grabbing 11 boards while Mike DePersia connected on all three of his field goal attempts for eight points off the bench. 

IUPUI (6-21, 2-12 HL) fell behind 8-2 in the game's opening five minutes, but fired back with a flurry to build a 20-13 lead. The hosts tried to quell the Jaguars' momentum as a fire alarm went off in building, halting play and sending fans to the exits. However, it was deemed a false alarm and the Jags continued to heat things up, stretching the lead to 26-14 on back-to-back threes from Burk and Minnett. 

NKU (19-7, 11-3 HL) scored 16 of the game's next 20 points to tie the game at 32 all, capped by Bryson Langdon's three. NKU ended up with a 42-39 halftime lead after shooting 53 percent in the opening stanza and holding the Jags to just 39 percent. 

The Norse showed too much firepower for the Jags, methodically pulling away in the second half, which included a 9-0 run as IUPUI went more than four minutes between baskets. Burk poured in a short jumper to make it 55-50 with 13:25 remaining, but didn't score again until DePersia putback a Jakoby Kemp miss at the 9:14 mark. 

The feisty Jaguars pulled within seven late in the contest, but got no closer as NKU repeatedly made free throws when sent to the line and closed the game with the final seven points. 

Jalen Tate had a monster game for the hosts, finishing with a career-high 31 points, seven assists, six steals and six rebounds to pace four NKU players in double-figures. Tate hit 10-of-14 field goal attempts, primarily in close, and 9-of-11 free throw attempts for a new career-high. Trevon Faulkner connected for 14 points and Tyler Sharpe added 13. Adrian Nelson contributed 11 points and six rebounds off the bench as NKU played without top scorer Dantez Walton. 

Aside from Burk, IUPUI players made just 14-of-39 (36 percent) from the field as Minnett was held to 4-of-15 shooting. The Terre Haute-native extended his personal streak to 63 straight games with at least one made three and moved into 21st place on the program's all-time scoring list with 1,051 points.

The Jags shot a tidy 78 percent at the free throw line, but were outscored by the Norse 21-14 at the stripe. IUPUI outscored NKU 12-1 on second chance points, fueled by 11 offensive boards. 

The loss gave NKU the season sweep of the Jaguars and kept the Norse in second place in the league standings. 

IUPUI will cap the two-game road trip at league leader Wright State on Sunday (Feb. 16) at 2:00 p.m. inside WSU's Nutter Center. That game will be aired on ESPN+.