HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky women's basketball returns to action on Saturday, Nov. 25 at 1 p.m. ET, when the Norse host Oakland City inside BB&T Arena. The game will be broadcast on ESPN3, with live streaming available on computers, tablets, smart phones and streaming devices through WatchESPN and the ESPN App.
LAST TIME OUT: Two-time defending Northeast Conference champion Robert Morris had the upper hand in the first quarter, outscoring the Norse by 10 in a key opening stanza that proved to be the difference maker in a 59-50 setback to the Colonials. The Norse were led by freshman center
Grayson Rose, who posted 12 points, including a perfect 6-for-6 outing from the free throw line.
Kailey Coffey continued to lead the team on the boards with seven rebounds, while
Samari Mowbray swiped three steals to pace the defense. NKU showed significant improvement in areas that had plagued the team in previous games, keeping team turnovers and fouls both under 20 against the Colonials.
ROOKIES IN THE RANKS: NKU has had some key performances from its freshman class, which has come in to contribute right away. Three rookies lead the team in rebounding (
Kailey Coffey - 8.3 rpg;
Grace White - 5.5 rpg;
Samari Mowbray - 4.8 rpg) to help the Norse keep a +8.8 rebounding margin over opponents, a number that ranks in the top-70 nationally. Coffey and Mowbray also boast individual national rankings of their own, with Coffey sitting at No. 25 nationally with 5.0 offensive boards a game while Mowbray is third in the Horizon League and in the nation's top-90 with 2.75 steals per game.
SCOUTING OAKLAND CITY: After a successful 17-6 season under Shayne Ross in his first year at the helm, the Mighty Oaks have struggled in the 2017-18 season with an 0-4 record. Oakland City has been dropping contests at an average margin of 24.0 points, shooting 35.8 percent from the field and 29.2 percent from 3-point range. Senior guard Alicia Wilson has been leading the Mighty Oaks this season with 15.8 points per game, most of which have come from long range. Wilson has recorded 10 3-pointers for the Mighty Oaks, connecting at a .400 clip from beyond the arc, and also finds ways to draw fouls to take advantage of her .882 free throw percentage. The senior is also one of the team's stealthiest players with 11 steals so far, while her fellow senior Emily Pitkin has been protecting the floor down low with 13 blocks on the year.
NKU holds a 2-1 advantage in the all-time series with the Mighty Oaks, but the two teams have not met on the hardwood since the 1994-95 season, when the Norse routed Oakland City, 88-37, in Highland Heights. Saturday's game will count as an exhibition for Oakland City.
YOUNG BLOOD: With
Mikayla Terry being the team's lone senior, Northern Kentucky's roster features 11 underclassmen in its 12 active players. That makes NKU one of the youngest teams in NCAA Division I, trailing only Alabama A&M with regards to percentage of underclassmen, as the Lady Bulldogs have 13 underclassmen out of 14 active players. The Norse also have one of the most freshman-laden rosters in NCAA Division I with 58.3 percent of the roster being rookie players. Only Fordham (64.3 percent), Savannah State (60.0 percent) and Air Force (58.8 percent) have higher ratios of freshmen on a squad. (Special thanks to Fort Wayne's Brian Alden for compiling the corresponding data).
