HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – The Northern Kentucky University women's basketball team hits the road once more for Horizon League action on Thursday when the Norse take on Oakland. Tipoff from the Athletic Center O'rena in Rochester, Michigan, is set for 7 p.m., with the action carried live on ESPN3.
 
Northern Kentucky University Norse (9-5, 1-2 Horizon)
Oakland University Golden Grizzlies (10-5, 2-2 Horizon)
Jan. 14 – 7 p.m.
Athletic Center O'rena (3,000) – Rochester, Mich.
TV: ESPN3
Series History: (all-time) Oakland leads, 5-1; (since 2012-13) First meeting
 
Fast Break Points (140 characters or less)
• Northern Kentucky is on the second game of a three-game road trip in Horizon League play. NKU will wrap up the weekend at Detroit.
• The Norse outscored Wright State by a 34-22 margin in the second half on Saturday in a comeback bid against their Horizon League rivals.
• On the season, NKU has outscored opponents in the second half, 535-445, an average of 6.4 point advantage per game.
• NKU has held its League opponents to 60 points per game, ranking third in the League.
• NKU has continued its dominating possession game into League play, posting a +7.0 turnover margin to lead the League.
• NKU's overall turnover margin of +4.9 ranks 21st in the nation.
• The Norse have forced 15 or more turnovers in 13 of their 14 games this season, and have forced 72 errors in their last four games.
• The Norse rank third in the League in FG shooting (43.2%) and lead the League in FT shooting (77.2%).
• NKU's 77.2 percent free-throw accuracy ranks ninth among all Division I programs.
• Thursday's contest will mark the first time NKU has played back-to-back road games this season.
• NKU's bench continues to provide the pop, as the Norse reserves have outscored their opponent's bench, 45-40, in League play.
• F Kasey Uetrecht set a career high with 14 rebounds against Wright State, pulling double-digit boards for the second time in four games.
• G Christine Roush remains one of the top scoring threats in the League, averaging 16.1 points to rank fifth among Horizon players.
• Roush leads the Horizon League and ranks 10th nationally in free-throw percentage at 90.5 percent.
• G Shar'Rae Davis posted an 11-point effort at Wright State on Saturday to lead the effort off the bench.
• G Sarah Kinch returned to the lineup on Saturday, going 2-for-3 from the field and leads the Norse with a 59.1 FG percent.
• G Rianna Gayheart's 2.0 assists per turnover ranks fourth among Horizon League players.
 
Last Time Out
After trailing by as many as 25 points in the first half against Wright State, NKU turned the corner and pulled within a single point, but could not find the go-ahead bucket in a 66-61 setback in Dayton, Ohio. Christine Roush led the way with 16 points, including 13 in the second half, and Shar'Rae Davis chipped in 11. Kasey Uetrecht added a career-high 14 rebounds to go with nine points.
 
Kim Demmings went for 22 points on 8-of-23 shooting, while Richelle van der Keijl added 16 points and 14 rebounds.
 
About Oakland
The Golden Grizzlies stand at 10-5 on the season with a 2-2 mark in Horizon League play after dropping an 81-66 decision to Valparaiso on the road last Saturday.
 
Olivia Nash leads Oakland's efforts with 16.9 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. Her 62.2 field goal percentage leads the team and ranks second in the League. Taylor Jones, the reigning Horizon League Freshman of the Week, is averaging 14.1 points, primarily off the bench, while Elena Popkey's 5.1 assists rank second in the League to go with 10.9 points.
 
The Series
Oakland leads the all-time series against NKU, 5-1, as the teams renew their rivalry for the first time since 1997. Oakland took a 74-66 victory in the last game between the clubs, played at Regents Hall on Dec. 30, 1997.