Northern Kentucky University Athletics

Box score

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A milestone victory is always sweet, but it's even better when it happens against a conference rival.

Northern Kentucky University claimed its 800th all-time win in women's basketball Monday night with a 72-65 victory over Bellarmine in Knights Hall. It marked the 51st time the Norse have beaten Bellarmine. NKU holds a 51-27 lead in the all-time series against the Knights.

The Norse are now 800-303 all-time in women's basketball.

Ellen Holton led NKU (12-3 overall, 5-2 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference) with 21 points and three blocked shots. Holton, who was 9-for-13 from the field, netted 19 points in the second half as the Norse rallied from a 28-19 deficit at the break.

Casse Mogan added 17 points, seven rebounds and six assists for NKU, which shot 61.3 percent from the field in the second half to storm from behind. Tiara Hopper finished with 10 points, while Sadie Bowling grabbed 11 rebounds.

Mogan, who was 7-for-12 from the field, moved into 11th place on the NKU all-time scoring list with 1,327 points.
 
Bellarmine remained winless (0-7) in the GLVC and lost for the sixth straight game. The Knights are 6-9 overall this season.

Bellarmine owned a 41-31 lead with 13 minutes remaining in the game, but NKU responded with a 19-5 run during the next six minutes to take a 50-46 advantage. Bowling capped the spurt with a basket after grabbing an offensive rebound.

Holton, a 6-foot-1 junior, poured in 10 points during the game-changing NKU run by doing most of her scoring in the post. Bur her biggest shot of the evening came from way outside in the final two minutes.

With NKU clinging to a 62-60 lead and less than two minutes remaining, Holton buried a 3-pointer from the top of the key that extended the Norse advantage to 65-60. Jaimie Hamlet and Bowling followed by making two free throws apiece, and NKU escaped Knights Hall with win No. 800.

NKU is now 19-17 all-time in Knights Hall against Bellarmine. Monday marked the final appearance in Knights Hall for the Norse, who are leaving the GLVC for the Atlantic Sun Conference after this season.

The Norse play host to Wisconsin-Parkside on Thursday at 5:30 p.m.