Wed., Jan. 2
Jacksonville, Fla.
UNF Arena (5,800)
NKU (3-7, 0-1 A-Sun) at North Florida (5-7, 1-0), 5 p.m.
Broadcast: ESPN3
Series Record: First meeting
NORSE NOTES (FIVE STARTERS & ONE)
1• NKU is 3-7 overall after dropping a 65-60 decision to Jacksonville on Monday night. That marked the Atlantic Sun Conference debut for the Norse, who are in their first season of Division I competition.
2•
Tiara Hopper and
Kayla Thacker each scored 16 points to lead NKU against Jacksonville.
3• NKU is 0-7 this season when trailing at halftime.
4• The Norse cut a 10-point Jacksonville lead to three points twice in the final minute, but the Dolphins made four free throws in the last 10 seconds to seal the win.
5• NKU is now 9-8 all-time in games played in the state of Florida.
+1• In its 39th season, NKU has 812 all-time victories. The Norse won Division II national championships in 2000 and '08.
TOUGH DEBUT: Tracie Sneed scored 18 points and knocked down a key 3-pointer late in the game as Jacksonville posted a 65-60 win over NKU on Monday night, spoiling the Norse's debut in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
After NKU rallied from a 10-point deficit to slice the Jacksonville lead to 56-53, Sneed buried a 3-pointer while being fouled with 1:35 remaining in the game to extend the Dolphins' advantage to 59-53. She missed the free throw, but Jade Cargill grabbed the offensive rebound.
NKU fouled Ronisha Mitchell, who made two free throws to give the Dolphins a 61-53 edge with 1:15 left on the clock. The Norse were able to get within three points twice in the last minute, but Queen Alford and Sneed both made a pair of free throws to seal the Jacksonville (5-7 overall, 1-0 A-Sun) victory in the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
THACKER-RIFFIC: NKU's
Kayla Thacker scored 16 points against Jacksonville, the seventh time this season she has netted double figures. Thacker is No. 1 in the A-Sun in minutes played (37.4 mpg) and she is ninth in scoring at 11.9 ppg.
120 & COUNTING: NKU's
Dawn Plitzuweit is 120-46 as a head coach entering the North Florida game. Plitzuweit picked up career victory No. 120 against UNC Wilmington on Dec. 20. Before taking the NKU job last May, Plitzuweit collected 117 wins in five seasons at Grand Valley State and led the Lakers to the 2006 NCAA Division II national championship.
IN THE POST: NKU senior forward
Tiara Hopper also scored 16 points against Jacksonville. She poured in the Norse's first six points as NKU built an early 9-3 lead against the Dolphins. Hopper averages 11.8 points and a team-leading 6.7 rebounds per game. She has scored in double figures six times this season.
OUTSIDE THE LINE: NKU is No. 1 in the A-Sun in 3-point shooting defense, limiting opponents to 26 percent from behind the arc.
