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HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – This is what's known in college basketball circles as a signature win.
Beginning its second season in Division I, Northern Kentucky University marked the occasion by rolling to a 77-61 victory over cross-river rival University of Cincinnati on Saturday night.
Melody Doss scored a career-high 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead NKU in front a crowd of 1,153 in The Bank of Kentucky Center.
"I was just kind of in the zone," Doss said. "I just had a high confidence and a high energy level and tried to play to the best of my ability."
Doss finished 10-for-20 from the field and added two blocked shots as NKU (1-0) cruised past the visiting Bearcats (0-1). The Norse held Cincinnati to 36.4 percent shooting from the field and won the rebounding battle by a 42-40 count to avenge a 49-31 loss to the Bearcats last season.
"I thought our crowd was great tonight, and I thought our kids played with a lot of energy and I certainly think that is a factor in the game," NKU head coach
Dawn Plitzuweit said. "I thought their effort was very, very good through the duration of the game. What I told our kids in the locker room after the game was that I was very proud of them because they were able to make adjustments.
"When Cincinnati found ways to score off different looks and different plays, our kids found ways to change up how we were defending and that's kind of difficult to do during the course of the game, so I thought our kids did a great job of being able to make adjustments."
Doss' previous career-high point total was 15 against East Tennessee State. Her 11 rebounds Saturday night equaled her career best.
"
Melody Doss played outstanding; she really did," Plitzuweit said. "She did everything tonight, I thought. She defended, rebounded, offensive rebounded, was a kid that we gave the ball to on the perimeter so she could attack from there, she hit threes, and she posted up and scored. I thought she played really, really well."
NKU used an 11-0 run in the second half to extend a 51-48 lead into a 62-48 advantage with 5:26 remaining. The Norse eventually led by as many as 19 points and improved to 9-8 all-time against the Bearcats.
Kayla Thacker added 18 points and seven rebounds for NKU, while teammate
Christine Roush scored 13.
Rianna Gayheart also finished in double figures with 10 points as the Norse improved to 18-6 all-time when opening the season at home.
NKU is now 29-11 all-time in season-opening games.
The Norse finished 9-for-21 from 3-point range, with Thacker hitting a trio from behind the arc. Doss and Gayheart each buried a pair of treys.
"I think, being a post player, Kaitlyn (Gerrety) and I both shoot the ball pretty well from beyond the arc, and that's going to mess with a lot of teams this year," Doss said. "I think it adds great versatility to our team."
Marley Hill scored 16 points to lead Cincinnati, while teammate Dayeesha Hollins scored 13. The Bearcats committed 17 turnovers, compared to just 10 for the Norse.
"We are very fortunate that Cincinnati came and was willing to play us on our home floor. Not many teams necessarily would do that," Plitzuweit said. "Fortunately, we took advantage of the opportunity that we had. We had a great crowd. For us, we are just focused on being our best and seeing where that puts us at the end. I am certainly proud of our kids for putting themselves in a position during the course of the preseason to be ready to play."
NKU plays host to Illinois State at 7 p.m. Wednesday in The Bank of Kentucky Center.
