HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University women's basketball team will face its toughest nonconference test of the season when the Norse welcome in Kentucky for a 7 p.m. tip time. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN3, with live stats coverage available at NKUStats.com.
 
No. 11/11 University of Kentucky Wildcats (6-0)
Northern Kentucky University Norse (5-1)
Wednesday, Dec. 2 – 7 p.m.
BB&T Arena (9,400) – Highland Heights, Ky.
TV: ESPN3 // Andrew Kappes (PBP) and Kaitlyn Gerrety (Analyst)
Series History: (all-time) Kentucky leads, 11-4; (Since 2012-13) Kentucky leads, 1-0
 
Fast Break Points (140 characters or less)
• Northern Kentucky's 5-1 start to the year is its best since the 2008-09 season, when NKU won 15 straight to open the season.
• NKU's 72-70 win over Robert Morris on Sunday was the second time this season the Norse have overcome a fourth quarter deficit.
• NKU went 7-for-10 inside the arc in the fourth quarter against Robert Morris and tied a season high with six offensive rebounds.
• NKU enters tonight's contest at No. 50 in the RPI, the highest ranking of any NKU program in the Division I era.
• The Norse currently top the Horizon League in free-throw shooting at 78.6 percent. They've taken the second-most attempts as well (131).
• NKU ranks second in the Horizon League in both field-goal shooting (44.3 percent) and 3-point shooting (39.6 percent).
• At +3.0 per game, NKU's turnover margin ranks third among Horizon League schools.
• F/C Molly Franson had a career day in her first collegiate start, leading NKU with 16 points against Robert Morris, all in the second half.
• F Courtney Roush also posted a career performance on Sunday, scoring 10 points in 13 minutes of play.
• In addition, Roush set career highs in assists (2), blocks (2), field goals made (5) and attempted (7).
• Franson and Roush accounted for 16 of NKU's 18 points in the fourth-quarter comeback against Robert Morris.
• G Kelley Wiegman score a season-high 12 points Sunday on four treys. She ranks fifth in the Horizon League in 3-point shooting (6-for-12).
• G Chrisitine Roush stands third in the League in scoring at 18.7 points per game, and is the only Norse to score in double-figures every game.
• G Rianna Gayheart posted a season-high seven assists on Sunday, and ranks second in the Horizon League in assist/turnover ratio (2.9).
• F Rebecca Lyttle ranks second in the League in offensive rebounds (4.2/game) and sixth in defensive rebounds (5.8/game).
 
Last time out
Molly Franson and Courtney Roush each posted career days to lead NKU to a 72-70 win over Robert Morris on Nov. 29. Franson scored 16 points, all in the second half, and added a team-high eight rebounds while Roush added 10 points in 13 minutes of action.
 
They were two of four Norse in double figures, as Christine Roush and Kelley Wiegman each added 12 points with four treys apiece. NKU shot 50 percent from the floor in the first half and 46.6 percent on the game.
 
About Kentucky
The Wildcats stand as one of the top teams in the nation, entering Wednesday's contest ranked No. 11 in the nation in the AP and USA Today polls as well as the RPI. Kentucky is 6-0 after taking a 92-24 victory over Jackson State on Sunday, marking the second-lowest point total allowed in program history.
 
UK ranks highly as a team in many national statistical categories, including scoring defense (34.5, 4th), shooting (48.3 percent, 11th), and three-point shooting (41.5 percent, 8th).
 
Leading the way is Makayla Epps, who is averaging 16.2 points, 6.2 boards and 7.6 assists on the year. Janee Thompson follows at 14 points per game, while Evelyn Akhator is posting a double-double (12.5 points, 12 rebounds) per game.
 
The Series
The edge in the all-time series goes to the Wildcats, 11-4, in a series renewed last season when the Norse traveled down to Memorial Coliseum for a December meeting. Kaitlyn Gerrety and Christine Roush each scored 13 points, with Gerrety adding seven rebounds, in an 82-64 loss to the then No. 13-ranked Wildcats.
 
Kyvin Goodin-Rogers put up 19 points to lead all scorers, while Briai Goss added 16 points on the night. The Norse shot 42 percent on the game, but only 26.1 percent (6-for-23) from long range, where almost half of their shots originated.
 
Opening RPI In Style
NKU got a plesant surprise when the initial RPI rankings were revealed on Dec. 1, as the Norse found themselves as the No. 50 team, marking the school's highest ever ranking in any sport in the Division I era.
 
NKU is one of four Horizon League schools ranked in the top 100, joining Youngstown State (No. 20), Green Bay (No. 69) and UIC (No. 79).
 
First One's A Doozy
Molly Franson had a stellar showing in her first collegiate start on Nov. 29 against Robert Morris. The sophomore center posted a career-best 16 points, all in the second half, to lead the Norse to a 72-70 win over the Colonials. Ten of her points came in the fourth quarter, where she teamed with Courtney Roush to score 16 of NKU's 18 points in the comeback bid. Franson also added eight rebounds, one shy of tying a career record.
 
Pulling Rank
Wednesday's contest against No. 11/11 Kentucky will mark the first time that NKU has welcomed a ranked Division I team to the BB&T Arena for regular-season play. Overall, it is the third time NKU has played a ranked team in the last two seasons, as the Norse battled No. 13 Kentucky on Dec. 3, 2014, and took on No. 20 Florida Gulf Coast in the Atlantic Sun Conference Championship final on March 15, 2015.