HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky women's basketball kept one of the Horizon League's top teams to nearly 20 points under its season average, but fell to Detroit Mercy on a last-second shot by Preseason Player of the Year Rosanna Reynolds. The Norse dropped a 55-53 decision to the Titans, falling to 7-15 overall and 3-7 in League play while UDM advances to 11-10 (7-3 HL).
Stat Leaders
- Senior forward Rebecca Lyttle recorded her seventh double-double of the season with 16 points and 11 rebounds, also adding two blocks and two steals. It is her second-straight double-double, marking the second time this season that Lyttle has had back-to-back double-doubles, the last being 11 points and 10 rebounds against Detroit Mercy on Jan. 16 followed by 19 points and 10 rebounds at Valparaiso on Jan. 20. Lyttle scored 10 of her 16 points from the free throw line.
- Junior forward Kasey Uetrecht added 16 points, bolstered by a 3-of-6 performance from beyond the arc.
- Senior guard Shar'Rae Davis also scored in double figures, going 4-of-6 from the field for 10 points.
- Junior guard Mikayla Terry registered five assists.
First Half Summary
- Detroit Mercy jumped out to a quick lead, starting the contest on a 7-0 run. NKU retaliated with a six-point run of its own to come within a point of the Titans.
- The remainder of the half consisted of the Norse shortening and widening the scoring gap, often coming within a point of Detroit Mercy before the Titans pulled away.
- NKU ended the half on an 8-0 run, trailing UDM by just a point at the midway mark, 26-25. The Norse outscored UDM in the second quarter, 17-10.
- The Norse shot 30.0 percent in the opening half, led by seven points from both Lyttle and Uetrecht. Lyttle led on the boards with six rebounds, as did Terry, who also dished out four assists in the opening stanza.
- Detroit Mercy connected at a 40.7 clip thanks in large part to a flawless performance from center Brianne Cohen, who had 17 of the Titans' 26 points on 8-of-8 shooting and all 16 of UDM's points in the paint.
Second Half Summary
- Uetrecht and Lyttle continued to lead the charge in the second half, with each contributing nine points to the team's effort.
- Uetrecht was perfect from the field, including 2-of-2 from 3-point range.
- The Norse outscored the Titans 19-18 in the third quarter, with the final five points scored by Uetrecht, which knotted the score at 44-44 heading into the fourth quarter.
- NKU took its first lead of the game at the 8:25 mark in the fourth quarter courtesy of a free throw from Kelley Wiegman that gave the Norse a 45-44 edge. The Norse extended to a two-point lead, 46-44, but the Titans quickly went on a 9-2 run to take the lead at 53-48.
- The Norse rallied back with a five-point run to tie it up at 53-53, but the Titans made the final score of the contest when Reynolds went in for a layup with a second on the clock. NKU looked to Lyttle to score, but the senior's shot fell just shy as the buzzer sounded.
Norse Notes
- Detroit Mercy now leads the all-time series with a 3-1 mark, and swept the regular season series with the Norse for the year.
- NKU outrebounded UDM, 36-35, but the Titans held a 32-18 advantage in the paint.
- The Norse committed just eight turnovers, which is the first time that NKU has had fewer than 10 miscues this season. However, Detroit converted those into 17 points, while NKU turned UDM's 10 turnovers into five points.
- NKU shot 34.0 percent from the field while holding Detroit Mercy to a .382 clip. Additionally, the Titans made five 3-pointers, coming into the game as the No. 21 team in the nation and the League leader with 8.3 triples a contest.
- Lyttle has recorded a double-double in four of the past five games. In that stretch, she is averaging a double-double of 14.2 points and 10.4 rebounds.
Up Next
- The Norse play just one game in the coming week, making the short trip up I-75 to Dayton, Ohio, to take on Wright State. The game against the Raiders is slated for 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 4 inside the Nutter Center.
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