The NKU women will attempt to halt a three-game losing streak Thursday.
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University women's basketball team plays host to Saint Joseph's at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.
NKU is 12-6 overall, 6-4 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. The Norse enter Thursday having lost three consecutive games - all on the road - after dropping a 67-63 decision at Kentucky Wesleyan on Saturday.
Saint Joseph's is 7-11 overall, 4-6 in the GLVC. NKU owns a 39-13 lead in the all-time series with Saint Joseph's.
NKU concludes its two-game homestand Saturday with a GLVC contest against Illinois-Springfield at 3 p.m.
STOP THE STREAK: NKU has not lost four consecutive games since an 0-5 start to the 2004-05 season. The Norse lost three straight games last season, dropping contests to Wayne State (Mich.), Indianapolis and Southern Indiana. All of those losses were on the road.
CLOSING IN ON 1,000: NKU junior guard
Casse Mogan has scored 891 career points going into Thursday night. Mogan is currently No. 32 on the NKU all-time scoring list. The junior guard averages 17.1 points per game, and she also leads NKU with 46 assists and 48 steals.
BOARD GAME: NKU sophomore forward
Kelsey Simpson grabbed a career-high 14 rebounds in a 72-70 loss at Bellarmine last Thursday. Simpson averages 5.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game. She also leads NKU with 16 blocked shots.
MORE OFFENSE NEEDED: Mogan is the only NKU player scoring in double figures this season, and the Norse rank 13th out of 15 teams in the GLVC in offense at 62.9 points per game.
NKU leads the GLVC in scoring defense at 53.1 ppg. The Norse are also No. 1 in field-goal percentage defense, holding the opposition to just 35.5 percent from the field.
LOWDOWN ON NKU: The Norse are 11-1 when leading at halftime this season, and 1-5 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.
IN THE LINEUP: NKU freshman
Kayla Thacker started in the backcourt against Kentucky Wesleyan and scored a career-high nine points. Thacker averages 2.9 points per game.
THE LAST TIME AGAINST SAINT JOSEPH'S: On Jan. 30, 2010,
Casse Mogan and
Brandi Rayburn combined for 45 points and 19 rebounds as NKU posted a 71-59 victory at Saint Joseph's.
Mogan finished with 23 points and seven rebounds, while Rayburn added 22 points and 12 rebounds.
Sadie Bowling scored 10 points and dished out five assists for the Norse, who shot 56 percent from the field in the first half to build a 38-25 cushion at the break.
Whitney Levering added eight points and eight rebounds for the Norse, who led by as many as 19 points in the first half.
After Saint Joseph's cut the NKU lead to 62-57 with 2:40 left, Mogan took a pass from
Stephanie Hodges and scored while being fouled. She converted the free throw to extend the Norse advantage to 65-57 with 2:11 remaining. NKU then made six free throws in the final 1:25 to seal the win.
