Brandi Rayburn battles inside against Bellarmine during NKU's 65-52 win.
Box score
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Make it nine victories in a row for the Northern Kentucky University women's basketball team.
NKU extended its winning streak to nine Thursday night with a 65-52 victory against Bellarmine in Knights Hall.
Brandi Rayburn scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead NKU, which improved to 18-6 overall, 12-3 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
The Norse, who jumped out to a 15-4 lead in the opening minutes, held Bellarmine to just 33.3 percent shooting from the field and finished with a 39-30 advantage in rebounds.
Casse Mogan and
Rachel Lantry each scored 12 points for NKU, which has beaten Bellarmine five straight times during the past two years. Mogan, who added six rebounds and four assists, has scored in double figures in all 24 games this season.
Whitney Levering added eight points for NKU, which moved up to No. 8 in this week's NCAA Division II Midwest Region poll. The top eight teams in that poll will earn berths in the NCAA Division II Tournament in March.
Bellarmine scored the game's first two points on a pair of free throws by Brittany Edelen, but NKU responded with a 7-0 run to take a 7-2 lead on a Rayburn 3-pointer. After a Bellarmine basket made it 7-4, Rayburn keyed an 8-0 run with five points as NKU took a 15-4 lead.
NKU led by double figures much of the second half, but Bellarmine pulled to within six points twice. A layup by Kylie Brady sliced the NKU lead to 54-48 with 6:10 remaining.
Lantry, however, buried a 3-pointer with 5:39 left to extend NKU's advantage to 57-48, and Rayburn followed with a basket to give the Norse a 59-48 cushion.
NKU upped its lead to 49-26 in the all-time series against Bellarmine. Melissa Fitz led Bellarmine (14-10 overall, 7-8 GLVC) with 14 points.
NKU concludes the road trip Saturday with a 2 p.m. game at Kentucky Wesleyan.
