Northern Kentucky University Athletics

Thurs., Jan. 20
Louisville, Ky. – Knights Hall (3,000)
NKU (12-4, 6-2 GLVC) at Bellarmine (9-8, 4-5 GLVC), 5:45 p.m.
NKU Radio/Internet: WQRT (1160 AM) & www.nkunorse.com
Series Record: NKU leads, 49-26
Last Meeting: NKU 65, BU 52 (2-11-10)

Sat., Jan. 22
Owensboro, Ky. - Owensboro Sportscenter (5,002)
NKU at Kentucky Wesleyan (9-6, 3-5 GLVC), 2 p.m.
NKU Internet: www.nkunorse.com
Series Record: NKU leads, 52-5
Last Meeting: NKU 68, KWC 55 (2-27-10)


HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University women's basketball team hits the road Thursday to take on Bellarmine at 5:45 p.m. in Louisville, Ky.

NKU is 12-4 overall, 6-2 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Bellarmine is 9-8 overall, 4-5 in the GLVC.
NKU owns a 49-26 lead in the all-time series against Bellarmine and has won the past five meetings with the Knights.

Bellarmine's last victory against NKU came on Feb. 19, 2008, when the Knights posted a 73-60 win over the Norse in Louisville. NKU will also visit Owensboro, Ky., on Saturday for a GLVC battle with Kentucky Wesleyan.

COLD DAY IN WISCONSIN: NKU, which was held to a program-low 36 points last February by Wisconsin-Parkside during a 50-36 loss in DeSimone Gymnasium, duplicated that offensive output Saturday and dropped a 44-36 decision to the Rangers. The Norse shot just 23.9 percent from the field and watched their four-game winning streak halted.

Casse Mogan led NKU with 14 points. The Norse did not make a 3-point shot (0-for-6) and were 14-for-23 from the free-throw line. Wisconsin-Parkside led by as many as 11 points in the second half. NKU cut the Ranger advantage to 38-34 on a pair of free throws by Jaimie Hamlet with 3:12 left, but the Norse scored just two points the remainder of the game.

NKU still owns a 25-8 lead in the all-time series against Wisconsin-Parkside, but the Norse are just 2-7 in their last nine trips to DeSimone Gymnasium.

CLOSING IN ON 1,000: NKU junior guard Casse Mogan has scored 848 career points going into Thursday night. Mogan is currently 34th on the NKU all-time scoring list. She averages 16.5 points per game and is the only NKU player who is scoring in double figures going into Thursday.

LOWDOWN ON NKU: The Norse are 11-1 when leading at halftime this season, and 1-3 when trailing at intermission. NKU's only loss when leading at halftime came against Charleston (W.Va.) on Nov. 19, when the Norse owned a 27-23 advantage at intermission.

THE LAST TIME AGAINST BELLARMINE: On Feb. 11, 2010, Brandi Rayburn scored 14 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead NKU to a 65-52 victory against Bellarmine in Knights Hall.

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. Mogan also added six rebounds and four assists for the Norse.

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.

THE LAST TIME AGAINST KWC: On Feb. 27, 2010, Brandi Rayburn scored 24 points and grabbed seven rebounds as NKU posted a 68-55 victory against Kentucky Wesleyan in the opening round of the GLVC Tournament in Somers, Wis.

Casse Mogan added 14 points, five assists and five rebounds for NKU, which is 52-5 all-time against Kentucky Wesleyan. The Panthers have not defeated NKU since Feb. 21, 2008.