HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky women's basketball returns home to BB&T Arena on Tuesday night to host Austin Peay. Tipoff against the Governors 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: The Norse took on defending ASUN champion Stetson in the final game of November, falling in a 67-56 decision on the road. Both teams had an efficient showing, shooting over 40 percent from the field and over 80 percent from the free throw line.
Molly Glick led the Norse with a career-best 21 points, going 7-for-12 from the field and a perfect 5-for-5 from the charity stripe.
Samari Mowbray also scored in double figures for the fourth time in her young career, adding 11 points, two steals and a block. NKU out-rebounded the Hatters 28-27, led by six from
Jazmyne Geist, who also contributed two blocks and a steal in 15 minutes of action.
SCOUTING AUSTIN PEAY: Tuesday night marks the first meeting in program history between NKU and Austin Peay. The Governors are riding a six-game winning streak, most recently defeating Evansville, 82-73 on Saturday night. Austin Peay boasts a balanced offense with three players averaging over 10.0 points per game, led by Brianah Ferby with 12.3 ppg, while Bri Williams averages 4.9 assists per game while pouring in 9.4 ppg. APSU's second-leading scorer, Keisha Gregory, is one of the top long-range shooters in the nation this year, going 14-for-25 from beyond the arc to rank fourth nationally with a 56.0 3-point field goal percentage. Gregory is also the team's leading rebounder, pulling down 7.0 boards per contest.
As a team, Austin Peay is yet another highly efficient team that the Norse will face this year. The Governors rank in the top-40 nationally with a 45.3 field goal percentage, but allow opponents to shoot above 40.0 percent on average. The team is also ranked in the top-100 in fewest turnovers per game, surrendering 14.4 a contest, as well as scoring offense (73.1 ppg) and scoring margin (+9.4).
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).
ROOKIES IN THE RANKS: NKU has had some key performances from its freshman class, which has come in to contribute right away. Two rookies lead the team in rebounding (
Kailey Coffey - 7.5 rpg;
Grace White - 5.5 rpg) to help the Norse keep a +11.9 rebounding margin over opponents, a number that ranks 20th nationally.
Samari Mowbray has also contributed heavily on both the offensive and defensive end, averaging 11.2 ppg to rank second on the team and nabbing 2.2 steals per game, sitting at fourth in the Horizon League.
TOP STATS: In addition to ranking second in the Horizon League in rebound margin (+11.9), the Norse are in the top-five of several statistical categories. In terms of defense, NKU ranks third in blocked shots per game (3.5) and 3-point percentage defense (26.0 percent), the latter of which is No. 40 in the nation. The Norse also keep teams to 36.8 percent from the field overall and force 18.17 turnovers a contest, which are both good for fourth in the League. Individually,
Molly Glick is fourth in the Horizon League with 1.33 blocks per game, while
Mikayla Terry sits at fourth in assists per game (4.2 apg).
