HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University women's basketball team makes the short trip across the Ohio River on Wednesday for a road conference against local rival Cincinnati. Tip off from Fifth Third Arena is set for 7 p.m., with broadcast and live stats links available at NKUNorse.com.
 
Northern Kentucky University Norse (2-0)
University of Cincinnati Bearcats (1-0)
Wednesday, Nov. 18 – 7 p.m.
Fifth Third Arena (13,176) – Cincinnati, Ohio
TV: BearcatsTV
Series History: (all-time) NKU leads, 10-8; (since 2012-13) NKU leads, 2-1
 
Fast Break Points (140 characters or less)
• NKU is looking for its first 3-0 start since moving to Division I, and it's first 3-0 start since the 2009-10 season.
• The Norse are averaging 72 points per game, good for third-best in the Horizon League.
• NKU stands sixth in the Horizon League in field-goal shooting (38.8 percent) and third in 3-point shooting (36.4 percent).
• NKU has hit 82.6 percent (38-of-46) of its free throw attempts so far to rank second among Horizon League teams.
• NKU ranks third in the Horizon League in rebounding, averaging 40 boards per game.
• The Norse have grabbed 53 rebounds off the defensive glass to 16 opposing offensive boards. The .768 efficiency ranks second in the League.
• G Christine Roush continued her hot streak on Sunday with a 15-point performance against Indiana State.
• Roush now shares 30th on the all-time scoring list at NKU with Val Gaerke, each having 958 career points.
• Roush has picked up four steals in back-to-back games, twice tying a career high originally set last season against Georgetown (Ky.).
• F Kasey Uetrecht also has eight steals on the year, also setting career highs with a pair of four-steal performances.
• Uetrecht and Roush have run their double-digit scoring streaks to three games dating to last season, the longest on the team.
• Newcomers F Rebecca Lyttle and F Molly Glick have combined for 25 points per game and 11.5 rebounds per game.
• Lyttle played 37 minutes against Indiana State, the most minutes logged by a Norse this season. Her 35.0 MPG leads the team.
• Lyttle has been NKU's top glass cleaner on the offensive side, picking up six of NKU's 27 offensive boards on the year.
• G Rianna Gayheart is averaging 5.5 assists per game, good enough to share 98th in the national statistical rankings.
• F Molly Franson ranks eighth in the Horizon League and 153rd nationally, shooting 87.5 percent (7-for-8) from the free-throw line.
 
About Cincinnati
The Bearcats enter Wednesday's contest after outlasting Saint Francis (Pa.) in a shootout in the season-opener, 93-86. Ana Owens was just two assists shorts of a triple-double, going for 25 points and 12 rebounds to land on the American Athletic Conference Honor Roll. Three other Bearcats finished in double figures, including Alyesha Lovett (19 points), Jasmine Whitfield (17) and Bianca Quisenberry (11).
 
The Series
The Norse and Bearcats have been annual opponents since NKU reclassified to Division I in 2012-13. NKU has gone 2-1 in those three meetings to push the all-time series between the teams to a 10-8 Norse advantage.
 
Last season, Rianna Gayheart posted a season-high with 12 points to lead NKU to a 66-52 win over UC at the BB&T Arena. Christine Roush and Kaitlyn Gerrity each finished with 11 points, while Kelley Wiegman and Mel Doss each had nine points and seven rebounds.
 
Dynamic Duo
The Norse have found a pair of consistent scoring and defensive threats in Christine Roush and Kasey Uetrecht. Both players have each posted double-digit scoring performances in 2015-16, as well as putting up double-figures in NKU's season finale against Marshall last season, putting each player on a three-game streak.
 
In addition, both Roush and Uetrecht lead the way for the Norse in steals with eight each. The average of four per game puts both players tied for fourth among Horizon League defenders.
 
Team Rebounding
NKU has been strong on the glass out of the gate this season, averaging 40 rebounds per game to rank third in the Horizon League, while NKU's +6 rebounding margin ranks second among League teams.
 
Despite the strong showing as a team, NKU has no players in the Horizon League top 10 in rebounding. However, Christine Roush, Kasey Uetrecht and Rebecca Lyttle share the team lead with seven rebounds each, good for 11th on the League list. NKU also stands as the only team in the Horizon League with three players in the Top 11 in rebounding.