The NKU women's basketball team plays Division I foe SIUE on Wednesday night.
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University women's basketball team plays host to former Great Lakes Valley Conference member Southern Illinois at Edwardsville at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
SIUE is currently making the transition to NCAA Division I status and owns a 2-15 record. The Cougars left the GLVC following the 2007-08 academic year in order to reclassify to NCAA Division I.
NKU enters Wednesday's game with a 9-5 overall record. The Norse hold a 22-8 advantage in the all-time series with SIUE and have won the last three meetings with the Cougars.
In addition, NKU resumes GLVC play Saturday at 1 p.m. when Wisconsin-Parkside visits The Bank of Kentucky Center. The Rangers lead the GLVC North Division with a 5-1 record and are 13-2 overall.
HISTORY LESSON: Loyola (Ill.) was the last NCAA Division I member to visit NKU for a women's basketball regular-season game, and the Norse handed the visiting Ramblers a 74-55 beating on Dec. 22, 2005, in Regents Hall.
SCORING MACHINE: NKU sophomore guard
Casse Mogan averaged 22.3 points in three games last week as NKU went 2-1. Mogan leads NKU in scoring at 17.4 points per game and is No. 2 in the GLVC in that category. Mogan also tops the GLVC in minutes played per game at 34.1.
AWESOME DEFENSE: NKU leads the GLVC in field-goal percentage defense by allowing the opposition to shoot just 35.3 percent.
ON THE ROAD: NKU recorded its first road win of the season with a 67-43 victory at Rockhurst on Saturday. The Norse are now 1-5 on the road. NKU is perfect (8-0) at home this season.
THE LAST TIME AGAINST SIUE: On Dec. 6, 2008,
Jessie Slack scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as NKU posted a 61-48 victory over SIUE in the Vadalabene Center at Edwardsville, Ill.
Karen Brackman added 13 points and eight rebounds for NKU, which finished with a 53-35 rebounding advantage. The Norse built a 12-point lead early in the second half, but SIUE used a 15-2 run to take a 34-33 advantage with 13:53 remaining in the game.
Slack and
Brandi Rayburn keyed an 8-1 run that gave NKU a 45-39 edge with 8:25 left. Slack started the run with a pair of free throws, and Rayburn followed by converting two straight jumpers.
Slack capped the spurt by hitting a jumper, and the Norse held off their former GLVC rivals. Rayburn finished with 10 points and 12 rebounds. Brackman added four assists and three steals for NKU.
JANE MEIER BOBBLEHEADS: Jane Meier bobblehead dolls will be given to all fans in attendance Saturday when NKU plays host to Wisconsin-Parkside in a GLVC doubleheader. The women's game begins at 1 p.m., followed by the men at 3:15 p.m.
