Atlantic Sun Weekly Release |
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Sat., Dec. 21
Highland Heights, Ky. – The Bank of Kentucky Center (9,400)
NKU (4-6) vs. Ball State (3-6)
Series Record: NKU leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: NKU 69, BSU 67 (Dec. 8, 2012)
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University women's basketball team returns home to conclude the non-conference portion of its schedule on Saturday as the Norse welcome Ball State to The Bank of Kentucky Center at 2:30 p.m.
NKU looks to rebound after suffering an 86-63 loss at IUPUI on Wednesday in Indianapolis, Ind., dropping the Norse to 4-6 on the year.
Melody Doss scored 16 points on 7-for-10 shooting from the floor and grabbed three rebounds to lead NKU, while
Kayla Thacker finished with 12 points, three rebounds and three steals for the Norse.
Ball State enters the contest 3-6 overall after falling to No. 7 Louisville, 105-67, on Tuesday evening in Muncie, Ind. Freshman guard Jill Morrison led the Cardinals with 17 points, three rebounds and two assists, while sophomore forward Nathalie Fontaine added 14 points, six rebounds and three assists as Louisville placed four players in double figures on the night.
Fontaine and Morrison enter the contest as two of Ball State's top scorers. Fontaine averages 17.3 points, which ranks fifth in the Mid-American Conference, and 6.8 rebounds per game to lead the Cardinals. Brittany Carter follows with a 14.2 scoring average but has not seen action since Nov. 30, while Morrison adds 11.2 points per game. Brandy Wood has dished out a team-high 36 assists and ranks second on the team in rebounds, pulling down 6.3 per game.
Links to live stats, the ASun.TV broadcast and Andrew Kappes' audio broadcast will be available at nkunorse.com.
LAST TIME AGAINST BALL STATE: Christine Roush made seven 3-pointers and finished with 23 points as NKU held on for a 69-67 road victory over Ball State on Dec. 8, 2012, in the only meeting between the two schools.
Roush also added seven assists and three steals, and her seven 3-pointers were one shy of the school record of eight, set by Shannon Roddy on Feb. 1, 1997.
NKU shot 64 percent from the field in the second half to build a 14-point lead (52-38) with 12:20 remaining in the game. Ball State rallied, cut the Norse advantage to a point twice and trailed 69-67 with 29 seconds left on a basket by Shanee' Jackson, who was fouled on the play.
Jackson missed the free throw, but Ball State gathered in the offensive rebound and called a timeout. The Cardinals again looked to Jackson, who missed a layup that was rebounded by
Kayla Thacker with 14 seconds remaining.
Ball State fouled Thacker, who missed the front end of the bonus. The Cardinals gave the ball to Jackson, who worked her way inside for a layup attempt that was off the mark. She grabbed the offensive rebound, but time expired before another shot could be taken.
Thacker added 11 points and seven rebounds for NKU, while teammate
Kaitlyn Gerrety finished with 10 points off the bench.
Tiara Hopper scored eight points and grabbed six rebounds as the Norse finished with a 38-27 advantage on the glass.
Rianna Gayheart dished out seven assists and collected five rebounds for NKU, which posted its first road victory as a Division I program with the win. The Norse were 11-for-24 from 3-point range, including 6-for-10 shooting in the second half.
Jackson led four Ball State players in double figures with 18 points, followed by Nathalie Fontaine's 15. Jackson and Fontaine each grabbed seven rebounds. Brittany Carter added 13 points and five steals for the Cardinals, while Brandy Woody finished with 10 points and five assists.
AGAINST THE MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE: NKU is now 9-8 all-time against members of the Mid-American Conference after falling to Miami (Ohio), 76-66, on Dec. 7 at The Bank of Kentucky Center. NKU and Miami are tied at six wins apiece in the all-time series between the two schools. The Norse hold winning records against Akron (1-0), Ball State (1-0) and Western Michigan (1-0), and NKU is 0-1 against Bowling Green State and Kent State.
FAMILIAR FOE: NKU and Ball State have faced a similar opponent in non-conference play this season. On Nov. 23, the Norse dropped a 74-64 decision to Western Kentucky at The Bank of Kentucky Center.
Melody Doss scored 19 points to lead the Norse, while
Lauren White poured in a career-high 18. Chastity Gooch led Western Kentucky with 20 points and 16 rebounds against NKU, while Alexis Govan added 16 points for the Lady Toppers.
Jill Morrison and Nathalie Fontaine combined for 49 points to lead Ball State to an 85-77 victory over Western Kentucky in Muncie, Ind., on Dec. 6. Morrison scored 26 points to lead the Cardinals, while Fontaine added 26 points. Govan led the way for the Lady Toppers with 20 points and eight assists, followed by Micah Jones' 15 points.
SOLID FIRST HALF: NKU shot 66.7 percent in the first half from both the field and behind the 3-point arc on Wednesday against IUPUI for its best shooting half since beginning the transition to the NCAA Division I level. The Norse finished the opening stanza 12-for-18 from the floor and 4-for-6 from long range.
The last time NKU shot 60 percent or better in one half from both places was against Ball State last season. The Norse went 16-for-25 (.640) from the field in the second half against the Cardinals, while going 6-for-10 (.600) from behind the 3-point arc.
COLLECTING TURNOVERS: Kelley Wiegman collected a career-high five of NKU's 11 total steals against IUPUI on Wednesday. Wiegman is averaging 1.6 steals per game to rank eighth in the Atlantic Sun Conference and leads the Norse with 16 on the year.
As a team, NKU's 78 steals ranks fourth in the Atlantic Sun while its average of 7.8 per game lands the Norse fifth among their conference opponents.
SATURDAY'S PROMOTION: Saturday's contest against Ball State is the second game of a doubleheader at The Bank of Kentucky Center. The men's team will face Navy at noon to kickoff Military Appreciation Day, presented by the Kentucky National Guard. Veterans and individuals with a military id receive free admission, while their guests will be given $1 admission to the game.
