NKU/UC photo gallery
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University women's basketball team plays at Miami (Ohio) Monday night. Game time is set for 7 p.m. in Millett Hall in Oxford, Ohio.
NKU is 0-1 after dropping a 49-31 decision at Cincinnati on Friday night. That game marked the Norse's debut as an NCAA Division I program.
Miami is also 0-1 after falling at Eastern Kentucky in overtime, 73-63, on Friday night. The RedHawks forced overtime when Kirsten Olowinski banked in a 3-pointer in the final seconds of regulation, but Eastern Kentucky outscored the visitors 12-2 in the extra session to secure the victory.
THE SERIES: NKU holds a 6-4 lead in the all-time series with Miami, but the two programs have not met since Feb. 17, 1982. Miami defeated NKU in the last meeting, 81-65, in Oxford, Ohio.
Five of NKU's six victories against Miami occurred during the 1970s, when both programs competed in the now-defunct AIAW. The Norse's last win over the RedHawks came on Nov. 29, 1980, when NKU posted a 95-82 triumph during a tournament in Cookeville, Tenn.
MANY FIRSTS: Freshman guard
Christine Roush scored NKU's first point as a Division I program Friday night by making the second of two free throws just 17 seconds into the game. Senior guard
Jaimie Hamlet netted the first field goal by floating in a runner at the 17:49 mark.
Junior guard
Kayla Thacker buried NKU's first 3-pointer by draining a long jumper at the 16:15 mark of the first half.
ICE COLD: NKU shot just 26.1 percent from the field in the loss at Cincinnati. The Norse were 3-for-19 from 3-point range and the 31 points were the fewest ever scored by NKU.
The previous school record for fewest points scored was 36, a number NKU had been held to three times in its history. The most recent 36-point game by the Norse occurred last season, when Northeastern (Okla.) State posted a 50-36 win over NKU in Hawaii.
CAREER BEST: NKU senior guard
Jaimie Hamlet grabbed a career-high seven rebounds against Cincinnati.
HOPPER INSIDE: NKU senior forward
Tiara Hopper scored eight points and grabbed six rebounds in 24 minutes of action against Cincinnati. Hopper converted back-to-back baskets in the second half to help NKU cut the Cincinnati lead to 25-20.
Florida Gulf Coast (29-3 last season) is the favorite in the media poll, but Stetson (23-11 last season) is the pick by the league coaches.
UP NEXT: NKU travels to Bowling Green, Ky., on Saturday to take on Western Kentucky in the 30th annual BB&T Classic game at E.A. Diddle Arena at 6:30 p.m. (Eastern time).
The Lady Toppers own a 9-8 lead in the all-time series against NKU, but the two programs have not met since Feb. 4, 1985, when Western Kentucky posted an 82-62 victory in Regents Hall. Western Kentucky, in fact, has won the past six meetings with the Norse, including an 83-40 victory over NKU on Jan. 21, 1984, in Bowling Green, Ky.
HOME OPENER NOV. 27: NKU plays its first four games of the season on the road before hosting Youngstown State on Nov. 27 in The Bank of Kentucky Center at 7 p.m.
