Game 2 Notes
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University women's basketball team welcomes Illinois State to The Bank of Kentucky Center on Wednesday night at 7 p.m.
NKU is 1-0 after cruising to a 77-61 victory over Cincinnati on Saturday night. The Norse placed four players in double figures, led by
Melody Doss with 24 points and 11 rebounds.
Kayla Thacker (18),
Christine Roush (13) and
Rianna Gayheart (10) also scored in double figures for the Norse.
Illinois State opens its season on Wednesday against NKU under the leadership of new head coach Barb Smith. The Redbirds were 24-11 overall, 13-5 in the Missouri Valley Conference last season and won their only exhibition game, a 55-50 victory over Northwest Missouri State on Nov. 3.
Illinois State returns eight letterwinners from last season's squad, which earned its seventh-consecutive postseason berth, but must replace its top four scorers.
Live stats, video and audio for the game will be available at www.nkunorse.com.
NKU/ILLINOIS STATE SERIES: NKU and Illinois State are tied, 2-2, in the all-time series between the two programs. The two teams have not met since Jan. 3, 1981, when the Norse dropped a 91-61 decision to the Redbirds at the Northern Kentucky Invitational Tournament in Regents Hall. Barb Harkins led the Norse with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
NKU won the first two meetings both during the 1978-79 season, taking a 73-63 road victory on Feb. 3 with Harkins again leading the way with 16 points and 11 rebounds. The Norse then defeated Illinois State, 75-60, on Feb. 10 at the Illinois State Invitational behind Peggy Vincent's 20 points and 10 rebounds.
Illinois State's second victory came on Jan. 16, 1980, as the Redbirds defeated the Norse, 65-54, in Regents Hall.
CAREER PERFORMANCE: Junior forward
Melody Doss earned Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Week honors this week after she scored a career-high 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, which equaled her career best, to lead NKU to a 77-61 victory over Cincinnati on Saturday at The Bank of Kentucky Center.
The 6-foot junior forward from Greenwood, Ind., finished 10-for20 from the field and added two blocked shots for the Norse. She hit two 3-point field goals and connected on both attempts from the free throw line.
Doss became the first NKU women's basketball player to earn A-Sun Player of the Week honors. Last season,
Rianna Gayheart twice received A-Sun Newcomer of the Week accolades, an honor
Christine Roush also earned.
AGAINST THE MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE: NKU is 8-6 against members of the Missouri Valley Conference. In addition to its series with Illinois State being tied at 2, NKU is tied with Loyola (Chicago) 1-1. The Norse hold a winning record against Indiana State (5-1) and is 0-1 against both Drake and Missouri State.
EVEN SCORING: The Norse saw four players score double figures on Saturday night.
Melody Doss led NKU with 24 points, while
Kayla Thacker poured in 18 to start her senior season.
Christine Roush added 13 points for the Norse, and
Rianna Gayheart finished the night with 10 point.
Each played an important role during NKU's 11-0 run in the second half to stretch its 51-48 lead to a 14-point advantage (62-48). Gayheart started the run with a layup, and Thacker followed with a 3-point field goal. Roush made four consecutive free throws to stretch the Norse lead to 60-58, and
Kelley Wiegman hit two from the line to end the NKU run.
70-POINT THRESHOLD: The Norse are picking up right where they left off last season when scoring 71 or more points with their 77-61 victory over Cincinnati. Last season, NKU posted a perfect 6-0 mark when scoring 71 points or more.
TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS: After committing seven turnovers in the first half against Cincinnati, the Norse took care of the ball in the second and recorded just three more. The NKU defense forced the Bearcats to turn the ball over 17 times, and the Norse now rank second in the conference after the first weekend of play with a +7.00 turnover margin.
EXTRA PASSES: Last season, NKU averaged 12.2 assists per game, and the Norse improved upon that against Cincinnati. NKU started the season with 14 total assists with
Rianna Gayheart,
Christine Roush and
Kelley Wiegman leading the way with three assists each on the night.
HOME-COURT ADVANTAGE: With its win over Cincinnati on Saturday night in front of a crowd of 1,153, NKU has now won four of its last six home games dating back to last season with the only setbacks being against A-Sun preseason favorite Florida Gulf Coast and the College of Charleston in the Women's Basketball Invitational. The Norse finished the 2012-13 season with a 9-4 record at The Bank of Kentucky Center.
WEDNESDAY PROMOTION: Wednesday night is Campbell County Night at The Bank of Kentucky Center. Residents will receive a $3 ticket with proof of residency.
