Sat., Nov. 17
Bowling Green, Ky. – Diddle Arena (7,326)
NKU (0-2) at Western Kentucky (1-0), 6:30 p.m.
Series Record: WKU leads, 9-8
Last Meeting: WKU 82, NKU 62 (2-4-85)
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University women's basketball team travels to Bowling Green, Ky., on Saturday to take on Western Kentucky in the 30th annual BB&T Classic game. The game is set for 6:30 p.m. (EST) in E.A. Diddle Arena.
NKU is 0-2 after dropping a 63-52 decision at Miami (Ohio) on Monday night. Western Kentucky enters Saturday with a 1-0 record after defeating Murray State in its season opener.
THE SERIES: 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.
CLOSE CALL AT MIAMI: Courtney Osborn scored 14 of her 20 points in the second half as Miami (Ohio) pulled away for a 63-52 win over NKU on Monday night.
Osborn added nine assists and was 12-for-14 from the free–throw line to help the RedHawks (1-1) hold off Division I newcomer NKU in Millett Hall. Miami limited NKU to 32.2 percent shooting from the field and finished with a 40-31 edge in rebounding.
With the game tied at 42-all midway through the second half, Miami used a 9-2 run to build a 51-44 lead. Maddie McCallie drained a pair of 3-pointers to key the Miami spurt.
NKU eventually cut the Miami lead to 53-50 on a basket by
Tiara Hopper with 2:16 remaining, but the RedHawks responded by scoring the next nine points – seven by Osborn - to extend their advantage to 62-50.
CAREER GAMES: Kayla Thacker netted a career-high 16 points to lead NKU, while teammate
Kaitlyn Gerrety also scored a career-best 13 points. Gerrety collected four steals in the loss at Miami.
TREY-RIFFIC: NKU buried five 3-pointers in the first half – including three treys by
Jaimie Hamlet – and trailed 31-28 at the break.
RIVALRY RESUMED: Miami and NKU had not played since Feb. 20, 1982. The Norse still own a 6-5 lead in the all-time series with the RedHawks.
UP NEXT: NKU travels to Chicago, Ill., to take on Loyola on Thanksgiving Eve. The tipoff is set for 8 p.m. (EST) on Wednesday as the Norse wrap up their season-opening four-game road trip.
NKU and Loyola last met on Dec. 22, 2005, and the Norse posted a 74-55 win over the Ramblers in Highland Heights, Ky.
Karmen Graham scored 18 points and grabbed six rebounds to lead NKU, which used a 22-6 run in the second half to pull away and defeat the Ramblers.
Karyn Creager keyed the run with six points as NKU knocked off a Division I opponent for the first time since Dec. 8, 1993, when the Norse posted a 79-60 win over Morehead State.
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.
