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HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Kindsay Brandt scored 23 points on 5-for-7 shooting from behind the 3-point arc to lead the Miami University (Ohio) women's basketball team to a 76-66 victory over Northern Kentucky University on Saturday at The Bank of Kentucky Center.
Brandt, who scored 13 of her career-high 23 points in the first half, was one of four players in double figures for Miami (3-5) and finished 6-for-9 from the field and 6-for-7 from the free-throw line. Nicole Anderson added 11 points and a game-high 10 rebounds, while Hannah Robertson and Jessica Rupright scored 10 points each for the RedHawks.
"(Brandt) is a good player," NKU head coach
Dawn Plitzuweit said. "She's played two years of college basketball already, so she's an experienced kid coming off the bench that can pressure the ball, can handle the ball, can shoot it and can penetrate and kick."
Miami finished the first half with a 9-4 run to take a 37-35 lead into the break, but
Melody Doss scored NKU's first eight points to start the second as the Norse (4-4) took a 43-42 advantage with 15:22 remaining in the game. The RedHawks responded with a 14-2 spurt to regain and stretch their lead to 56-45 with 10:25 left.
The Norse would cut the RedHawks lead to 56-52, but Rupright capped a 10-2 Miami run with a layup to give her team its largest lead of the game at 66-54. NKU once again answered with its own 10-2 spurt to trail by four (68-64) with under two minutes to play on a free throw by
Kelley Wiegman.
Miami, however, hit eight of its final nine free throws to seal the victory.
The RedHawks finished 13-for-16 (.813) from the free throw line on the night while shooting 44.8 percent from the field and 57.9 percent from behind the 3-point arc. Miami limited NKU to 11-for-32 from 3-point range and won the rebounding battle by a 45-31 margin.
"(Miami) played very disciplined and very hard," Plitzuweit said. "They beat us to a lot of scenarios. They're a little bit bigger than we are, a little bit more athletic than we are, and every time it seemed like we were getting to a loose ball or rebound, they were beating us to it. That's something we've got to continue to get better at."
Doss scored 16 of her team-high 20 points in the second half to lead the Norse. She grabbed six rebounds and blocked two shots on the night, while
Kayla Thacker added 18 points, seven rebounds and three assists.
Christine Roush finished with nine points on 3-for-5 shooting, and Wiegman and
Sarah Kinch added eight points each for NKU.
With the win, Miami evened the all-time series between the two programs at 6-all.
After taking the week off to focus on finals, the Norse return to action on the road against Butler on Dec. 15 at 2 p.m. Live stats, video and audio will be available at nkunorse.com.
