Northern Kentucky University Athletics

Fri., March 9
NCAA Division II Midwest Regional Tournament
Ashland, Ohio – Kates Gymnasium (2,600)
NKU (21-6) vs. Quincy (21-7), 8:30 p.m.
NKU Radio/Internet: www.nkunorse.com
Series Record: NKU leads, 22-9
Last Meeting: QU 80, NKU 72 (1-2-11)

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The final trip to the NCAA Division II Tournament begins Friday for the Northern Kentucky University women's basketball team, which will meet Quincy in the Midwest Regional in Ashland, Ohio at 8:30 p.m.

NKU enters the NCAA Tournament with a 21-6 overall record and is the No. 4 seed, while Quincy is 21-7 and the No. 5 seed. Ashland (28-1) is the top seed and host for the Midwest Regional, which will be held in Kates Gymnasium. The Lady Eagles will meet No. 8 seed Maryville (19-11) Friday at 6 p.m.

The NKU/Quincy winner will play either Ashland or Maryville in the semifinals Saturday at 7:30 p.m. The championship game is set for Monday at 7 p.m.

NKU is making its 21st trip to the NCAA Division II Tournament. The Norse won national championships in 2000 and 2008.

This marks the final season in Division II for NKU, which begins reclassifying to NCAA Division I status in 2012-13. The Norse will compete in the Atlantic Sun Conference next season.

THE SERIES: NKU owns a 22-9 lead in the all-time series with Quincy, but the Lady Hawks have won three of the last five meetings. A year ago, Quincy posted an 80-72 victory over the Norse in Quincy, Ill.

The teams have met twice in the NCAA Tournament and split the two games. NKU defeated Quincy in the 2003 regional championship game, 64-61, at Nicoson Hall in Indianapolis. The Lady Hawks knocked off the Norse in the 2004 NCAA Tournament by a score of 51-49 at Quincy, Ill.

NKU'S NCAA HISTORY: NKU owns a 27-18 all-time record in the NCAA Tournament. The Norse have won two national championships (2000 & '08).

Four years ago, NKU captured the national title by defeating South Dakota, 63-58, at Kearney, Neb. In 2000, NKU captured the NCAA Division II national championship at Pine Bluff, Ark., with a 71-62 overtime victory against North Dakota State.

MOGAN NAMED ALL-REGION: NKU standout Casse Mogan has been voted to the Daktronics All-Midwest Region first team in a vote by the region's sports information directors. Mogan, a senior guard from Circleville, Ohio, was named the Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Year last week and averages 17.6 points per game. She enters the NCAA Tournament having scored 1,559 career points, which is fourth in school history.

Mogan also averages 5.5 rebounds per game and leads the team in steals (62) and assists (79). She has scored in double figures 25 times this season.

Mogan needs two assists and seven steals to become the first player in Norse history to score 1,500 points, grab 500 rebounds, dish out 250 assists, record 200 steals and block 50 shots in a career. Mogan enters the NCAA Tournament with 248 assists and 193 steals in her career.

UPSETTING EXPERIENCE: NKU suffered an 80-70 loss to Maryville in the quarterfinals of the GLVC Tournament last week. The Saints, who went on to capture the GLVC Tournament championship, built a 23-point lead in the first half against the Norse and held on for the upset.

NKU finished with a 23-11 all-time record in the GLVC Tournament, and the Norse won four GLVC Tournament championships (1999, 2000, '06 and '09).

SOMETHING HAS TO GIVE: Quincy is No. 1 in the GLVC in scoring offense at 74.6 points per game, while NKU is No. 1 in scoring defense at 52.9 ppg. The Lady Hawks are No. 1 in the GLVC in rebounding (+9.4), while the Norse are No. 2 (+5.1).

BLOCK PARTY: Quincy center Linsay Henke has blocked a total of 72 shots this season and is No. 2 in the GLVC at 2.57 bpg. NKU leads the GLVC in blocks per game at 5.44 bpg. Ellen Holton and Kelsey Simpson each have 26 blocks to lead the Norse, while Tiara Hopper has rejected 22 shots.

BENNETT NEARS 900: NKU senior guard Maria Bennett enters Friday's game with 869 career points as a collegiate basketball player. Bennett scored 681 points in three seasons at Wright State, and she has added 188 after transferring to NKU. She leads NKU in 3-pointers made (53) and attempts (142) this season.

THE LAST TIME AGAINST QUINCY: On Jan. 2, 2011, Ali Schwagmeyer poured in 23 points to lead Quincy to an 80-72 win over NKU. The Lady Hawks shot 52.4 percent from the field and finished with a 40-22 scoring advantage in the paint to knock off the visiting Norse.

Schwagmeyer finished 11-for-25 from the field and also grabbed seven rebounds. Courtney Shuman added 20 points for Quincy, which held NKU to just 41.1 percent shooting from the field. Sadie Bowling led NKU with 18 points. Quincy held Casse Mogan to just 13 points on 5-for-13 shooting from the field.

NKU ALL-TIME NCAA TOURNAMENT RESULTS (27-18 overall)

3/7/1982     at Oakland (Mich.)    L  75-77       Rochester, Mich.      
3/8/1985     CLARK ATLANTA         W  81-69       Highland Hts., Ky.    
3/15/1985    at Central Missouri   L  63-79       Warrensburg, Mo.      
3/8/1986     at Bellarmine         L  52-69       Louisville, Ky.      
3/10/1987    WRIGHT STATE          W  74-63       Highland Hts., Ky.  
3/14/1987    WEST TEXAS STATE      W  64-55       Highland Hts., Ky.
3/19/1987    vs New Haven          L  74-77  OT   Springfield, Mass. 
3/11/1988    LAKE SUPERIOR STATE   L  76-77  2OT  Highland Hts., Ky.    
3/10/1989    at Oakland (Mich.)    L  93-95  OT   Rochester, Mich.      
3/8/1991     NORTHERN MICHIGAN     L  63-67       Highland Hts., Ky.    
3/13/1992    vs Northern Michigan  L  69-73       Rensselaer, Ind.      
3/8/1994     at Lake Superior StateL  76-79       Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.
3/5/1999     GRAND VALLEY STATE    W  85-67       Highland Hts., Ky.    
3/6/1999     MICHIGAN TECH         W  65-63       Highland Hts., Ky.    
3/17/1999    vs Indiana (Pa.)      W  75-67       Pine Bluff, Ark.   
3/18/1999    vs Arkansas Tech      L  57-62       Pine Bluff, Ark. 
3/10/2000    MICHIGAN TECH         W  60-59       Highland Hts., Ky.   
3/11/2000    NORTHERN MICHIGAN     W  77-70       Highland Hts., Ky.   
3/22/2000    vs St. Rose (N.Y.)    W  60-50       Pine Bluff, Ark. 
3/23/2000    vs Western Washington W  80-74       Pine Bluff, Ark.
3/25/2000    vs North Dakota State W  71-62  OT   Pine Bluff, Ark. 
3/8/2001     vs Gannon             L  64-73       Houghton, Mich.
3/7/2002     vs Northern Michigan  W  73-60       Evansville, Ind.
3/8/2002     vs Lake Superior StateW  71-62       Evansville, Ind.
3/9/2002     at Southern Indiana   W  69-66       Evansville, Ind.
3/20/2002    vs South Dakota State L  67-68       Rochester, Minn.
3/14/2003    vs Grand Valley State W  69-63       Indianapolis, Ind.
3/15/2003    at Indianapolis       W  66-57       Indianapolis, Ind.
3/17/2003    vs Quincy             W  64-61       Indianapolis, Ind.
3/26/2003    vs Washburn           W  65-53       St. Joseph, Mo.  
3/27/2003    vs California (Pa.)   W  45-43       St. Joseph, Mo.  
3/29/2003    vs South Dakota State L  50-65       St. Joseph, Mo. 
3/12/2004    at Quincy             L  49-51       Quincy, Ill.
3/10/2006    vs Michigan Tech      W  67-66       Springfield, Mo.
3/11/2006    vs Grand Valley State L  70-91       Springfield, Mo.
3/9/2007     vs Ferris State       L  69-70       Romeoville, Ill.
3/14/2008    vs Indianapolis       W  55-54       Springfield, Mo.
3/15/2008    at Drury              W  84-65       Springfield, Mo.
3/17/2008    vs Missouri S&T       W  60-52       Springfield, Mo.
3/26/2008    vs Wingate            W  78-65       Kearney, Neb.     
3/27/2008    vs Alaska Anchorage   W  57-54       Kearney, Neb.
3/29/2008    vs South Dakota       W  63-58       Kearney, Neb.     
3/13/2009       GRAND VALLEY STATE W  66-57       Highland Hts., Ky.
3/14/2009       MICHIGAN TECH      L  53-76       Highland Hts., Ky.
3/12/2010      at Michigan Tech    L  49-69       Houghton, Mich.