YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- Drew McDonald scored 23 points on 8-of-10 shooting and grabbed seven rebounds and Northern Kentucky beat Youngstown State 82-74 on Saturday.

The Norse (16-4, 6-1 Horizon League) entered the game in a first-place tie with Detroit Mercy in league play. NKU now has won eight of its last nine game and is off to its best start since 2011-12, the Norse's last year of Division II play.

Jalen Tate and Tyler Sharpe each scored 13 for the Norse. NKU finished 29-of-57 shooting (51 percent) and had a 36-24 rebounding advantage.

Donel Cathcart III led Youngstown State (6-15, 2-6) with 16 points, Antwan Maxwell Jr. scored 13, Garrett Convington 11 and Darius Quisenberry 10.

Quisenberry's layup with 11:36 left gave the Penguins a 55-54 lead. McDonald followed with a jump shot, Zaynah Robinson added a jumper and McDonald's layup made it 60-55 and Northern Kentucky led the rest of the way.