HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky women's basketball continues its swing through the Badger State on New Year's Eve, taking on Milwaukee on Saturday afternoon with tipoff scheduled for 2 p.m. CT/3 p.m. ET. The game will be carried on the ESPN3 platform, with streaming available on computers, tablets and smart phones through Watch ESPN and the ESPN App. Matt Menzl will be on the call for the Panthers.
LAST TIME OUT: The Norse fell in their Horizon League opener to Green Bay, a team that tops the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 list and is receiving votes in both the Associated Press and USA Today Coaches Polls. The Phoenix downed NKU in Green Bay, 70-39, thanks to a dominant opening three quarters. Senior guard
Kelley Wiegman led the team in scoring by tying her season high of 13 points, with a season-best three 3-pointers. On the boards,
Kasey Uetrecht nabbed 10 rebounds for her first double-digit rebounding performance of the season. Overall, Green Bay's stifling defense, which ranks among the nation's top-10, forced 25 turnovers in the setback.
SCOUTING MILWAUKEE: Milwaukee is the only other Horizon League team that appears alongside Green Bay in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25, sitting at No. 24 in the poll. The Panthers have compiled an 8-4 record overall, but dropped their League opener to Wright State Thursday night in a 69-51 upset. Milwaukee enters the game as the top rebounding team in the League, averaging 41.5 boards a game for a rebounding margin of +7.9, which is the 38th-best margin in the nation. The Panthers also have one of the highest-scoring offenses in the League at 74.6 ppg.
Individually, Preseason First Team All-HL honoree Stephanie Kostowicz is a dual threat for the Panthers as she has registered seven double-doubles on the year, a number that ranks 13th amongst all NCAA Division I players. The junior forward averages 16.7 points per game and 8.8 rebounds per game to rank in the League's top-four in both categories. Kostowicz is also a defensive weapon with nearly a block and a half per game, ranking second in the League. The Panthers also rely on Jenny Lindner on offense, who posts 15.2 ppg and is one of the best free throw shooters in the country with a 92.9 percent efficiency.
Like many opponents in the Horizon League, Milwaukee has a brief history with the Norse as the all-time series started up just last year when NKU joined the League. Milwaukee defeated NKU on both occasions last year, the most recent being a 78-71 setback when the Norse traveled to Milwaukee on Feb. 25.
