GAME NOTES (PDF)
Thurs., Dec. 20
Highland Heights, Ky.
The Bank of Kentucky Center (9,400)
UNC Wilmington (1-7) at Northern Kentucky (2-6), 7 p.m.
Series Record: First meeting
NORSE NOTES (FIVE STARTERS & ONE)
1• NKU is 2-6 after dropping a 66-56 decision to visiting Butler on Sunday afternoon.
2• The Norse shot just 28.3 percent from the field against Butler. NKU finished with a 46-37 advantage in rebounds, including 16 offensive boards.
3• UNC Wilmington is 1-7 this season. The Seahawks are 0-6 on the road, including a 62-52 loss at Xavier on Tuesday night.
4• NKU's
Ellen Holton played at Tusculum under current UNCW head coach Adell Harris as a freshman.
5• This will be NKU's final non-conference game of the season. The Norse begin Atlantic Sun Conference play Dec. 31 at Jacksonville.
+1• The NKU women are 53-8 all-time in The Bank of Kentucky Center, including 1-1 this season.
FIRST MEETING: This will mark the first meeting between NKU and UNC Wilmington. The Seahawks are members of the Colonial Athletic Association and posted a 20-13 record last season. NKU has never played a CAA school in women's basketball.
PROTECT THE BOKC: NKU has never lost two consecutive non-conference games in The Bank of Kentucky Center, something the Norse will try to avoid Thursday night. NKU, in fact, has lost just three non-conference games at home since 2008 (66-56 to Butler last Sunday, 76-53 to Michigan Tech in the 2009 NCAA Division II Tournament and 56-53 to SIU Edwardsville in 2010).
THE BUTLER DID IT: Butler held NKU to 28.3 percent shooting from the field to defeat the Norse last Sunday, 66-56. The Bulldogs pulled out the win despite losing the rebounding battle by a 46-37 count, including 16 offensive boards by the Norse.
GO-TO PLAYERS: Three NKU players -
Tiara Hopper,
Kayla Thacker and
Christine Roush - are averaging double figures in scoring. Hopper and Thacker each average 10.8 points per game, while Roush is scoring at a 10.4 clip per contest.
In addition, Thacker is No. 2 in the Atlantic Sun Conference in minutes played with an average of 37.1 per game. Roush leads the A-Sun in 3-point shooting (.455), and she is No. 5 in treys made per game (1.9).
GET THE LEAD: NKU is 2-0 this season when leading at halftime. The Norse are 0-6 when trailing at the break.
OUTSIDE THE LINE: NKU is No. 1 in the Atlantic Sun Conference in defending the 3-point shot, holding the opposition to just 25 percent from long range. The Norse have allowed only 35 treys in 140 attempts this season and held Butler to 3-for-19 shooting last Sunday.
GOING FOR 120: NKU's
Dawn Plitzuweit is currently 119-45 as a college head coach. Plitzuweit collected 117 wins in five seasons at Grand Valley State and led the Lakers to the 2006 NCAA Division II national championship.
