HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - Jalen Billups and Cole Murray combined for 45 points, including 31 in the second half, to lead Northern Kentucky past the Norfolk State men's basketball team, 81-60, on Sunday night at BB&T Arena.

Billups was a bully down low, shooting 11-of-16 overall for 23 points and nine rebounds. Murray, meanwhile, connected on 6-of-8 from 3-point range, helping the Norse finish with 11 treys on the night.

The Spartans (4-5) scored just 21 points in the first half but only trailed by six at the break. Thanks in part to Billups and Murray, NKU scored 54 points in the second half to pull away.

The Spartans shot just 19-of-55 (34.5 percent) for the game and only 4-of-15 from long range. They did connect on 18-of-19 from the foul line, and their 94.7 percent clip from the charity stripe broke the previous Division I record of 94.4 percent (17-of-18) set against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Dec. 19, 2006.

Senior Charles Oliver made 7-of-8 from the foul line and finished with a team-high 11 points for the Spartans. Senior Jeff Short and junior Jonathan Wade each scored 10 points, including the latter on 4-of-7 shooting.

NSU twice cut the deficit to 10, but the Norse continued to hit from long range. NKU led by as much as 24 late in the game.

Junior Preston Bungei added eight points and a team-leading seven boards for the Spartans. Sophomore Zaynah Robinson chipped in with six points, four assists, a career-high four steals and three rebounds.

The Spartans will travel to play at No. 23 Cincinnati on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. on ESPNU.