HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky women's basketball hits the road for a midweek contest at former Atlantic Sun foe Stetson. Tipoff against the Hatters is slated for 7 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on ESPN3. Live streaming will be available on computers, tablets, smart phones and streaming devices through WatchESPN and the ESPN App.
LAST TIME OUT: NKU held Oakland City, a team that led the NCAA Division II in scoring average a year ago, to just 25 points in a 103-25 victory. The 25 points scored marked the fewest allowed in the Division I era and was the lowest opponent score since NKU tied the program record by keeping Salem International to 19 points on Nov. 19, 2011. Additionally, NKU broke or tied the D-I era records for rebounds (61), assists (26), opponent field goal percentage (14.3 percent), and put up marks that were second in program history since transitioning in points scored (103), steals (18) and turnovers forced (29).
NKU kept Oakland City without a field goal for nearly the entirety of the first half, until a layup trickled in at the :47 mark of the second quarter. Every Norse player got involved in the scoring effort, with five players in double digits and three scoring at least 15 points (
Molly Glick,
Mikayla Terry - 18 points;
Chyna Anthony - 16 points).
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 - 8.4 rpg;
Grace White - 6.0 rpg;
Samari Mowbray - 4.86 rpg) to help the Norse keep a +14.0 rebounding margin over opponents, a number that ranks 15th nationally. Coffey and Mowbray also boast individual national rankings of their own, with Coffey sitting at No. 21 nationally with 5.0 offensive boards a game while Mowbray is fourth in the Horizon League with 2.20 steals per game.
TOP STATS: In addition to leading the Horizon League in rebound margin (+14.0), the Norse are near the top of the League standings in several statistics that speak to the team's defensive prowess. The squad is fourth in the Horizon League in scoring defense at 57.6 ppg allowed, and is even stingier when guarding beyond the arc with a .244 3-point defense percentage, which sits at No. 31 nationally. The Norse have also seen results of their defensive presence in turnovers forced, sitting at third in the League with 19.40 miscues forced per game.
SCOUTING STETSON: The reigning Atlantic Sun champions have organized a challenging nonconference slate that features three Power 5 opponents. Stetson fell to No. 2 Texas on Nov. 12, but recently had an upset over Florida in the Savannah Invitational, 85-71. However, the win over the Gators was the only victory in the tournament with losses against Wright State and Providence. Last night, the Hatters dropped their first home game in the month of November since 2010 with a 69-64 setback to High Point.
Despite the losing record, the Hatters are one of the most efficient teams in the nation, topping the ASUN and ranking 27th among Division I teams at 46.6 percent from the field. Their high shooting percentage couples with a comparably stingy defense, holding teams to 66.1 points per game at 38.4 percent shooting, both of which are second in the ASUN. Individually, Brittney Chambers leads the team with 18.1 points per game, while Kennedy Colclough and Mckenna Beach are also averaging double figures. Beach is also one of the top statistical point guards in the nation with a 3.70 assist-to-turnover ratio while dishing out 5.3 assists a contest. Stetson has been without the ASUN Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and one of the best shot blockers in the nation, Sarah Sagerer, who has missed the first seven games due to injury.
Wednesday marks the ninth meeting in program history, with Stetson holding a 5-3 advantage in the all-time series. NKU met up with the Hatters last season for the first game of the series outside of Atlantic Sun competition, with Stetson claiming a 54-45 win inside BB&T on Nov. 30.
