Nancy Winstel is fourth all-time in NCAA Division II history with 636 career wins.
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University women's basketball team begins the season this weekend by playing a pair of road games in Florida.
NKU meets Lynn (Fla.) at 5 p.m. Friday in Boca Raton, Fla. The Norse conclude the two-game trip Saturday at 4 p.m. by playing Nova Southeastern in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
This will be the first meeting between NKU and Lynn in women's basketball. The Norse are 1-0 all-time against Nova Southeastern.
Lynn posted a 19-11 record last season and advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament, while Nova Southeastern finished 11-17. NKU posted a 20-10 record last season and advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament.
SEASON OPENERS: NKU owns a 26-10 record in season-opening games. The Norse have won five straight season openers. NKU's last loss in a season opener occurred on Nov. 16, 2004, when Georgetown (Ky.) posted an 85-64 win against the Norse in Regents Hall.
CLOSE CALL AT UC: NKU played one exhibition game in the preseason and dropped a 57-55 overtime decision at Cincinnati this past Saturday night. With the score tied at 52-all and less than five seconds left, NKU's
Casse Mogan drove down the right side of the lane and put up a short runner that would have given the Norse the victory.
The ball, however, bounced off the rim at the buzzer, sending the exhibition game into overtime. Cincinnati then hit three free throws in the final 41 seconds of overtime to escape with the victory.
Jaimie Hamlet scored 15 points, 10 of those in the first half, to lead NKU. Hamlet also buried a trio of 3-pointers. Mogan finished with 14 points and also dished out four assists.
Sadie Bowling grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds for NKU, which won the battle of the boards by a 47-38 margin. The Norse were just 11-for-23 (47.8 percent) from the free-throw line, while Cincinnati converted 11-for-14 of its charity tosses.
NKU held the Bearcats to 33.39 percent shooting from the field, but the Norse made just 32.3 percent of their own attempts.
Kendra Caldwell added seven points and seven rebounds for NKU, while teammates
Kelsey Simpson and
Ellen Holton each netted six points.
THE LAST TIME AGAINST NOVA SOUTHEASTERN: On Nov. 20, 2003, Nikki Perkins and Connie Myers each scored 15 points as NKU defeated Nova Southeastern, 61-39, in the first round of the Holiday Isle Classic at Tavernier, Fla.
Sharell Snardon added 12 points and 11 rebounds for NKU, which forced Nova Southeastern into 33 turnovers. Perkins scored 13 points in the second half. She tallied the first five points after the break to give the Norse a 32-19 lead.
NKU held Nova Southeastern scoreless for the first six minutes of the second half and led by as many as 22 points. It is the only prior meeting between the two schools in women's basketball.
COACHING ICON: NKU head coach Nancy Winstel ranks fourth all-time in NCAA Division II history with 636 career victories. She has recorded 597 wins on the NKU sideline and has led her program to at least 20 victories in 17 seasons, which is 11th all-time in Division II history. Her 636 career wins ranks third among active head coaches in Division II.
