The NKU women meet Kentucky Wesleyan in a key GLVC East Division clash.
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University women's basketball team plays host to Great Lakes Valley Conference rival Kentucky Wesleyan this Thursday at 5:30 p.m.
NKU also meets Bellarmine at 11:30 a.m. Saturday in The Bank of Kentucky Center in another key GLVC East Division battle.
NKU is 11-6 overall, 5-3 in the GLVC. Kentucky Wesleyan is 10-7 overall, 3-5 in the GLVC.
MOGAN'S RUN: NKU opened the second half with a 23-10 run and cruised to a 66-53 win against Maryville (Mo.) on Monday afternoon.
Casse Mogan and
Rachel Lantry combined for 17 points during the second-half spurt as NKU rallied from a 25-23 deficit at the break. Lantry netted eight of her 14 points to key the run, while Mogan scored nine points.
NKU shot 68 percent from the field in the second half to gradually pull away from Maryville. The Norse held the Saints to 27.8 percent shooting from the field for the game. Mogan led NKU with 23 points and nine rebounds, and she has scored in double figures in all 17 games this season.
Sadie Bowling added 12 points for NKU, and teammate
Brandi Rayburn finished with 10 points.
MORE MO: Mogan is No. 2 in the GLVC in scoring at 17.5 points per game. The sophomore guard has also made more free throws (88) than any other player in the GLVC this season and has converted 84.6 percent of her attempts to rank No. 6 in the league.
TAKE MORE SHOTS: After not taking a shot the entire first half against Maryville,
Rachel Lantry keyed NKU's second-half rally by netting all 14 of her points after the break. Lantry averages 9.2 points per contest and leads NKU with 19 blocked shots.
NO. 1 IN THE GLVC: NKU senior forward
Brandi Rayburn leads the GLVC in free-throw shooting at 91.9 percent. Rayburn, who also averages 13.2 ppg, is 34-for-37 at the line this season.
THE LAST TIME AGAINST KWC: On Feb. 14, 2009, NKU held Kentucky Wesleyan to just 24.5 percent shooting from the field and posted a 48-32 win in The Bank of Kentucky Center. The Norse – who did not score a point for the first six minutes of the game - made just 35.2 percent of their field-goal attempts but still managed to pull out the victory.
Brandi Rayburn led NKU with 14 points and 17 rebounds, while teammates
Cassie Brannen and
Jessie Slack each scored 12.
NKU holds a commanding 49-5 lead in the all-time series with Kentucky Wesleyan. NKU is unbeaten (26-0) at home against the Panthers and is 22-5 in Owensboro, Ky. The Norse also own a 1-0 advantage on neutral courts.
Kentucky Wesleyan's last win against NKU came on Feb. 21, 2008, when the Panthers posted a 74-66 victory in Owensboro, Ky.
KNIGHTS NEXT: On Saturday, NKU and Bellarmine meet at 11:30 a.m. in a “Break the Bank” promotion in which all upper-level seats are $1. The Norse own a 47-26 edge in the all-time series against the Knights.
NKU defeated Bellarmine three times last season and has won five of the past six meetings with the Knights.
The Norse are 25-13 all-time at home against Bellarmine. The Knights have not won in Highland Heights, Ky., since Jan. 19, 2002, when Bellarmine defeated NKU, 72-59, in Regents Hall.
