HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky women's basketball makes the short trip north on Saturday to take on Horizon League foe Wright State in Dayton, Ohio. Tipoff is slated for 4:30 p.m. ET as the front end of a doubleheader, with the NKU men taking on the Raiders at 7 p.m. The game will be broadcast on the ESPN3 platform with Scott Leo and Justin Kinner on the call for the Raiders. Fans can stream the game live on computers, tablets and smart phones through WatchESPN and the ESPN App.
 
LAST TIME OUT: NKU had a valiant effort against Detroit Mercy on Jan. 29, keeping the third-most potent scoring team in the League to nearly 20 points under its season average, but an untimely layup in the closing seconds by Preseason Player of the Year Rosanna Reynolds handed the Titans a 55-53 victory. Senior forward Rebecca Lyttle stuffed her stat sheet with 16 points, 11 rebounds, two blocks and two steals to lead the Norse in multiple categories, while junior forward Kasey Uetrecht also chipped in 16 points aided by a 3-of-6 effort from long range. NKU battled back from multiple deficits to tie the game, entering the fourth quarter knotted up at 44-44, but Detroit Mercy drew up a successful inbound play to take the final lead with one second remaining.
 
LYTTLE PLAYING BIG: Senior forward Rebecca Lyttle has been one of the most consistent players for the Norse this year, currently averaging 10.5 points and 8.0 rebounds per game. The past five games have seen Lyttle coming into her element as one of the most impactful players on both ends of the court, as she has recorded four double-doubles in that span, averaging 14.2 ppg and 10.4 rpg. Prior to that run, Lyttle had just three double-doubles in the first 17 games of the season and averaged 9.5 ppg and 7.3 ppg. Additionally, Lyttle has been doing a great job of getting to the free throw line and converting on her opportunities, with a 29-of-36 effort for a .806 clip in her last five showings.
  
In Horizon League action, Lyttle is also one of the most efficient players in the League, sitting at fourth with a 53.3 field-goal percentage. She is also fifth overall in rebounding with 9.1 rpg in League action, 16th player in scoring with 12.0 ppg, eighth in free throw percentage (.755) and fifth in blocks per game with 1.2 rejections a contest.
 
COMING ALIVE IN THE LAST FIVE: Rebecca Lyttle isn't the only player who has enjoyed increased success in the last five showings. The entire Norse squad has shown significant improvement over the stretch of five games, dating back to the Jan. 16 game at Detroit Mercy. The Norse are still averaging 55.4 ppg, which matches their overall scoring offense exactly, but the largest difference has been the scoring defense. Prior to Jan. 16, NKU was allowing 65.8 ppg with opponents connecting at a .441 clip. Since then, the Norse have held opponents to 53.0 ppg and a .375 field-goal percentage. NKU also recorded its first true road wins of the season in that key five-game span, taking down Valparaiso and UIC by 15+ point margins of victory.
 
SCOUTING WRIGHT STATE: The Raiders have exceeded preseason expectations, sitting at second in the League with a 9-1 record after being tabbed to finish fifth in the preseason poll, and have posted a 17-5 overall mark on the season. The Raiders' only League loss of the season came in a 62-41 setback to preseason favorite Green Bay on Dec. 31, and Wright State has been on an eight-game winning streak since the start of 2017. Most recently, WSU took down Oakland in a decisive 84-66 win in the Nutter Center, a team that turned around and upset Green Bay on Thursday night to hand the Phoenix their first HL loss of the season.
  
Wright State is not only the best in the League at protecting the ball, but also ranks fourth nationally in fewest turnovers per game with just 11.3 miscues a contest. The Raiders have also played a clean game with the fewest fouls in the League. Wright State has been averaging 70.5 points per game while holding teams to 62.5 ppg, both of which rank among the League's top four in both statistical categories.
  
Wright State has been known for producing the top player in the League for the past three years, and with the graduation of two-time Player of the Year Kim Demmings, the Raiders have turned to juniors Chelsea Welch and Lexi Smith to pace the team in scoring, with Welch averaging 18.0 ppg and Smith putting up 13.5 ppg. Additionally, Smith is averaging a double-double in League play at 13.0 ppg and 10.1 rpg.
           
Unlike most of the opponents in the Horizon League, NKU and Wright State have a history that dates back to the 1981-82 season. In the all-time series, NKU holds the 12-5 edge. However, since the series was renewed in the 2014-15 season after nearly a 30-year hiatus, Wright State has won all four of the last meetings, the most recent being a 70-63 win at BB&T Arena on Jan. 14.