NKU will square off against Michigan Tech for the second straight year.
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University women's basketball team begins the NCAA Division II Tournament this Friday night at 6 p.m. by playing top-seeded Michigan Tech in the Midwest Regional at Houghton, Mich.
NKU enters the NCAA Division II Tournament with a 20-9 record, and the Norse are the No. 8 seed in the Midwest Regional. Michigan Tech, the defending regional champion, won the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championship and is 28-2 overall.
The NKU/Michigan Tech winner will advance to the regional semifinals to meet either No. 5 seed Findlay or No. 4 seed Wisconsin-Parkside on Saturday. The regional championship game is scheduled Monday night at 7 p.m.
This marks the fifth consecutive year that NKU has earned a trip to the NCAA Division II Tournament. The Norse were the top seed and host for last season's Midwest Regional, but Michigan Tech eliminated NKU in the semifinals by a 76-53 score.
NKU'S NCAA HISTORY: NKU owns a 27-17 all-time record in the NCAA Tournament. The Norse have won two national championships (2000 & '08).
Two years ago, NKU captured the national title by defeating South Dakota, 63-58, at Kearney, Neb.
In 2000, NKU captured the NCAA Division II national championship at Pine Bluff, Ark., with a 71-62 overtime victory against North Dakota State.
Seven years ago, NKU defeated Grand Valley State, Indianapolis and Quincy to win the Great Lakes Region title at Indianapolis, Ind. The Norse also posted wins against Washburn (Kan.) and California (Pa.) at St. Joseph, Mo., before falling to South Dakota State in the national championship game.
AGAINST THE MIDWEST REGION FIELD: NKU is 1-0 against Drury, 1-1 against Wisconsin-Parkside, 0-2 against Southern Indiana and 0-2 against Indianapolis.
MOGAN LOOKS FOR NEW STREAK: NKU sophomore guard
Casse Mogan watched her streak of scoring in double figures halted at 28 games on Feb. 28 during a 50-36 loss at Wisconsin-Parkside in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament. Mogan leads NKU in scoring at 16.7 points per game. She was also named first team All-GLVC this season.
MAGIC 20: NKU reached the 20-win mark for the fifth straight season by knocking off Kentucky Wesleyan in the opening round of the GLVC Tournament.
MORE POINTS NEEDED: During a 50-36 loss at Wisconsin-Parkside in the second round of the GLVC Tournament on Feb. 28, NKU scored the fewest points in the history of the women's basketball program.
The previous low mark for points in a game by NKU was 40, which had been done twice (against Western Kentucky on Jan. 21, 1984, and against Lewis on Feb. 14, 1998).
NKU enters the NCAA Tournament averaging 65.6 points per game.
NKU MILESTONE: NKU head coach Nancy Winstel enters the NCAA Tournament having won 597 games on the Norse sideline. She collected her 600th all-time coaching victory last season (Winstel also won 39 games in three seasons as the head coach at Midway College). Winstel owns a combined career record of 636-237 in 30 seasons.
THE LAST TIME AGAINST MICHIGAN TECH: On March 14, 2009, Katie Zimmerman poured in 20 points as Michigan Tech rolled to a 76-53 win against NKU in the semifinals of the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional at Highland Heights, Ky. Lisa Staehlin added 19 points for the Huskies, while teammate Katie Wysocky finished with 17 points and nine rebounds.
NKU/MTU SERIES: NKU owns a 3-1 lead in the all-time series with Michigan Tech. All four meetings with the Huskies have taken place during the NCAA Tournament.
Last season's 23-point margin of victory by Michigan Tech was the first blowout in the series. NKU had won the first three meetings by a combined four points (65-63 in 1999, 60-59 in 2000, and 67-66 in 2006).
NCAA Division II Midwest Regional
(at Houghton Mich.)
Friday, March 12
#2 Indianapolis (26-3) vs. #7 Northern Michigan (21-9), noon
#3 Drury (26-6) vs. #6 Southern Indiana (22-8), 2:30 p.m.
#1 Michigan Tech (28-2) vs. #8 Northern Kentucky (20-9), 6 p.m.
#4 Wisconsin-Parkside (23-7) vs. #5 Findlay (21-8), 8:30 p.m.
Saturday, March 13
Semifinals, 5 & 7:30 p.m.
Monday, March 15
Championship, 7 p.m.
