HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky women's basketball returns to the Sunshine State as part of a trip down memory lane to take on three former Atlantic Sun opponents in a four-day span. The trip starts off with the UNF Christmas Classic, which pits the Norse against host North Florida at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 19, before a noon tipoff versus Jacksonville on Wednesday, Dec. 20. Live streaming will be available against North Florida on computers, tablets, smart phones and streaming devices through WatchESPN and the ESPN App.
 
LAST TIME OUT: Though the night ended in a setback, the Norse had one of their best performances of the season against Big Ten opponent Indiana. NKU led the Hoosiers by a point going into the half, but a late run at the end of the third quarter going into the fourth allowed IU to solidify an 11-point win. Molly Glick had her fourth-straight game scoring at least 15 points, leading the Norse with 17 points along with a career-best eight rebounds.
 
COFFEY RAKES IN HL HONORS: Freshman forward Kailey Coffey was recognized for her relentless work down low on Dec. 11, when she was named the Horizon League Freshman of the Week, the first weekly award for a Norse since the 2015-16 season. Coffey had a career scoring night against Austin Peay with 16 points and led the Norse with eight rebounds. She followed it up against the Hoosiers with a solid stat line that included seven points, four rebounds, two assists, two blocks and two steals.
 
ROOKIES IN THE RANKS: NKU has had some key performances from its freshman class, which has come in to contribute right away. Two rookies help lead the team in rebounding (Kailey Coffey - 7.1 rpg; Grace White - 4.9 rpg) to keep the Norse at a +9.4 rebounding margin over opponents, a number that ranks 37th nationally.  Coffey has the ninth-highest rebounding average in the Horizon League with 7.6 boards a game, and sits at fifth in the League with 3.3 offensive rpg. Samari Mowbray has also contributed heavily on both the offensive and defensive end, averaging 9.8 ppg at an impressive .509 clip, and is nabbing 1.6 steals per game.
 
TOP STATS: In addition to ranking fourth in the Horizon League in rebound margin (+9.4), the Norse are in the top-five of several statistical categories. In terms of defense, NKU's 3-point percentage defense (27.5 percent) is   ranked third in the League and No. 52 in the nation. The Norse also keep teams to 59.6 points (No. 79 nationally, fourth in HL) at 38.1 percent from the field (fifth in HL).  Individually, Molly Glick ranks in the top-10 of League opponents in six statistical categories. The redshirt-sophomore is averaging 14.8 ppg at 42.3 percent from the field, with 16 3-pointers coming at a .381 clip. Additionally, Glick is second in the League in free throw percentage (90.9 percent) and averages 1.0 blocks a game. Mikayla Terry has also done her part in distributing the ball, ranking fifth in assists (3.8) and seventh in assist/turnover ratio.
  
SCOUTING NORTH FLORIDA: The Ospreys continue their rebuilding phase under third-year head coach Darrick Gibbs and enter the weekend sporting a 5-6 record. However, North Florida has not been one to shy away from some of the toughest competition in the nation, taking losses at nationally-ranked Florida State, Michigan and Wichita State.
  
Keonna Farmer and Tesh Hanson are first and second on the team in both ppg and rpg, averaging 13.5/8.1 and 12.2/7.7, respectively. Farmer also contributes as the squad's top steal-getter, leading the ASUN with 2.55 steals per game. As a team, North Florida is statistically strong on defense, ranking 48th nationally in turnovers forced (20.27) and 101st in steals per game (9.3). With an offense that is built on getting the ball into the post, the Ospreys are one of the best teams in the nation at getting to the free throw line, but connect on just 67.5 percent of shots from the charity stripe.
  
NKU holds a 4-2 advantage in the all-time series, all of which were played in the ASUN days from 2013-15. North Florida has won two of the three meetings on its home court, with the last being a 81-79 overtime setback on Jan. 22, 2015. The Norse avenged the loss at home on Feb. 21 with a 67-29 thrashing.
 
SCOUTING JACKSONVILLE: The Dolphins have improved by leaps and bounds since Yolett McPhee-McCuin took the reins in 2013-14, going from a pair of losing seasons to breaking the school wins record in back-to-back years, including a trip to the NCAA tournament in 2016. The team is expected to do well once again, and was picked to finish second in the ASUN preseason poll. Jacksonville sits at 7-4 overall, with three of those losses coming against Power 5 opponents Alabama, Florida and NC State.
  
Though not as physically imposing a team as many that the Norse have faced this year, the Dolphins rank 34th in the nation in blocked shots per game (5.2) while averaging 40.5 rebounds per game, both of which lead the ASUN. Both of those stats are bolstered by senior forward Kayla  Gordon, who averages nearly a double-double with 10.9 ppg and 9.1 rebounds per game, along with 1.1 blocks per game. Offensively, Jasmyn Brown paces the Dolphins with 13.3 ppg and is the team's top long range shooter with 23 3-pointers at a .397 clip, while Brandi Buie adds 11.3 ppg.
  
Similar to North Florida, NKU has not played the Dolphins since its days in the ASUN, with the series deadlocked at 3-3. Jacksonville has won two of the three meetings on its home court, but the Norse secured its first road win against the Dolphins on their last trip to Jacksonville with a 70-59 victory on Jan. 24, 2015.
 
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).