NORMAL, Ill. – The Northern Kentucky University women's basketball team used a game-ending 18-5 run to defeat Illinois State University, 59-48, on Wednesday evening in nonconference action at the Redbird Arena.
 
Melody Doss led NKU with 21 points, including 15 in the second half, and six rebounds.  The senior forward from Greenwood, Indiana, went 3-for-5 from behind the 3-point arc, blocked two shots and collected two assists and three steals.  Kelley Wiegman added 12 points, three assists and two steals for the Norse, who held Illinois State (0-3) to just two field goals and one free throw over the final eight minutes of the game.

"I think our team really focused on buckling down and getting stops on defense, which was the key, and we tried our best to keep on the boards" Doss said.  "I know we talked about how they were good rebounders, so we really focused on boxing out and getting stops on defense."
 
Northern Kentucky (2-1) used a 10-0 run, led by four points apiece from both Doss and Molly Franson, over a three-minute span midway through the first half to turn a four-point deficit (13-9) into a 19-13 advantage with 9:08 remaining in the opening stanza.
 
The Redbirds, however, answered with a 7-0 spurt to regain the lead at 20-19 with 6:36.  The two teams traded points until a layup by Rianna Gayheart and strong defensive stands kept Illinois State scoreless over the final two minutes for a 25-23 Norse lead at the halftime break.
 
The Norse forced Illinois State into 16 turnovers in the first half and scored 13 points off the Redbirds' miscues.  NKU collected eight steals and blocked three shots to take the two-point lead into the locker room.
 
Kelley Wiegman opened the second half scoring for the Norse with a pair of free throws, and Doss added back-to-back 3-pointers to stretch the Norse advantage to 33-27 just two minutes into action.  Christine Roush eventually gave NKU a 36-29 lead on a conventional three-point play before Illinois State used an 8-2 to take the lead back at 40-39 at the 12:17 mark.
 
Similar to the first half, both teams swapped points over the next few possessions until the game-changing 18-5 run, highlighted by nine points from Doss, to close the game.

"I thought for a stretch we were making shots a little more challenging for them," NKU head coach Dawn Plitzuweit said.  "I thought they were very good around the rim.  Their perimeter kids can get to the rim and score, and their post kids can really get on the boards.  I thought we did a better job of understanding how to help and getting to some rebounds, which gave us the opportunity to space the floor and get some good shots."
 
Illinois State finished with a 39-31 advantage in rebounds but committed 26 turnovers.  The Norse capitalized on the Redbirds errors with 21 points.
 
Roush finished with eight points and five rebounds, while Gayheart added seven points and four assists for NKU, which shot 37.0 percent from the floor for the game. Kaitlyn Gerrety pulled down a team-high eight rebounds and scored four first-half points for the Norse.
 
Octavia Crump led Illinois State with 11 points on 5-for-6 shooting from the floor, and she grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds.  Katy Winge finished with 10 points and four assists, while Colleene Smith added eight points and nine boards for the Redbirds, who shot 44.4 percent from the field.
 
NKU now holds a 4-2 lead in the all-time series against Illinois State.  Last season, the Norse posted a 61-48 victory at The Bank of Kentucky Center, led by Doss' career-high 29-point performance.
 
NKU opens the home portion of its 2014-15 schedule on Saturday as the Norse welcome Loyola (Chicago) to The Bank of Kentucky Center at 4 p.m.  The women's game will be the first game of a doubleheader with the men's team and will be a special tribute game "FOR#22ON22" dedicated to Lauren Hill.  Links to live stats and the ESPN3 broadcast are available on NKUNorse.com.
 
The game will benefit The Cure Starts Now Foundation, and the organization will be in attendance accepting donations to help raise funds for cancer research and will have a special guest speaker at halftime.  Fans are invited onto the court following the women's game to make a donation and participate in the #Layups4Lauren Challenge, which consists of making a layup with the non-dominant hand after turning around in a circle five times.