NKU has used defense to forge a 16-4 record this season.
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University women's basketball team meets No. 24 Wisconsin-Parkside on Saturday in a Great Lakes Valley Conference East Division first-place showdown.
NKU has won four consecutive games and is 16-4 overall, 9-3 in the GLVC. Wisconsin-Parkside is also 16-4 overall, 9-3 in the GLVC. Those two teams are tied with Indianapolis for first place in the GLVC East.
NKU/UWP SERIES: NKU is 25-9 all-time against Wisconsin-Parkside, but the Rangers have beaten the Norse three straight times. The Norse are 9-7 all-time in DeSimone Gymnasium against Wisconsin-Parkside, but the Rangers have posted home wins against NKU in each of the past three years.
Wisconsin-Parkside held NKU to a school-record low 23.9 percent from the field during a 44-36 win over the Norse a year ago.
CHILLY VENUE: In the last two visits to Somers, Wis., NKU has been held to 36 points - tied for the lowest point total in Norse history - in each loss. Earlier this season in the perfect weather of Hawaii, Northeastern (Okla.) State also limited NKU to 36 points, tying the Norse record previously set in Somers, Wis.
CLIMBING THE CHARTS: Casse Mogan has moved into eighth place on the NKU all-time scoring list with 1,399 career points. Mogan, a senior guard from Circleville, Ohio, passed both Melissa Wood (1,393 points) and Amy Mobley (1,398 points) on the NKU all-time scoring list Thursday night.
Mogan leads NKU in scoring at 15.8 points per game. She has scored in double figures 18 times this season and also leads the team in assists (62) and steals (39).
LEWIS RECAP: It wasn't easy, but NKU has now defeated Lewis 10 consecutive times. The latest victory, a 63-61 triumph Thursday night, also represented NKU's final visit to the Neil Carey Arena.
Lewis has not beaten the Norse since Jan. 6, 2007, and with NKU moving to Division I next season, the longstanding series between the two schools ended Thursday. Lewis had a chance to win or tie in the closing seconds, but Alexus Grayer missed a 3-pointer, and Madeline Kish's follow shot rimmed out as time expired.
Ellen Holton scored 14 points to lead NKU, which is now 47-6 all-time against Lewis after beating the Flyers for the 10th consecutive time. Holton, who netted 12 points in the second half, also grabbed six rebounds, blocked two shots and dished out two assists.
DON'T TAKE IT INSIDE: NKU leads the GLVC in blocked shots with an average of 5.3 rejections per game. The Norse's
Sadie Bowling,
Ellen Holton,
Tiara Hopper and
Kelsey Simpson are four of the GLVC's top 15 shot-blockers. NKU has a total of 106 blocks going into Saturday's game at Wisconsin-Parkside.
THE LAST TIME AGAINST UWP: Down by 19 points midway through the second half earlier this season on Jan. 19, NKU turned to full-court pressure to get back in the game against Wisconsin-Parkside.
The Norse staged a furious rally to cut the Wisconsin-Parkside lead to three points with less than two minutes remaining, but the Rangers held on for a 66-60 victory in The Bank of Kentucky Center.
Jadee Rooney scored 20 points to lead Wisconsin-Parkside. Amy Selk added 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Rangers, who held NKU to 35.6 percent shooting from the field.
Wisconsin-Parkside built a 34-23 halftime lead as reserve guard Jenna Endisch drilled a trio of 3-pointers. The Rangers held NKU scoring leader
Casse Mogan to four points in the first half.
After Brittany Beyer's basket with 9:21 remaining extended the Wisconsin-Parkside lead to 53-34, NKU turned to a full-court press. The pressure bothered the Rangers, and NKU rallied as Mogan (15 of her 19 points in the second half) and
Maria Bennett (12 points) helped the Norse chop the deficit to 63-60 with 1:18 left on the clock.
