COLUMBUS, Ohio – Following a high-scoring first quarter, the Northern Kentucky women's basketball team dropped a 96-63 decision at Ohio State. NKU slips to 0-4, while OSU moves to 3-0 on the year.
STATS LEADERS
· Lindsey Duvall secured a second-straight double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.
· Ivy Turner posted 11 points and five rebounds.
· Carissa Garcia notched six points and three boards, but matched her career-high in assists with five.
TURNING POINT
· Ohio State used a 10-0 run near the end of the first period to pull ahead by double figures.
FIRST HALF SUMMARY
· Offense was flowing in the first quarter, with the two teams combining for 55 points, but the Buckeyes led, 32-23.
· NKU trailed by just two, 22-20, but gave up a 10-0 run before Kennedy Igo put an end to it by knocking down a 3-pointer with six seconds left in the quarter.
· The Norse made 56 percent (9-of-16) of their shots and 50 percent from three (4-of-8), but the Buckeyes converted at a blistering 80 percent clip (12-of-15).
· Duvall led the Norse with eight points, while Ally Niece added three.
· OSU scored the first nine points of the second stanza, extending its run to 19-3 over a six-minute span between the first and second quarters.
· The Norse settled and kept pace. After falling behind by 22 with four minutes remaining, NKU closed the quarter outscoring OSU, 8-5, the rest of the way, but the Buckeyes took a 53-34 advantage into intermission.
· Shooting tightened for NKU in the second quarter, converting just 18 percent (3-of-17) in the frame. But, the Norse also stiffened their defense and held the Buckeyes to 44 percent (7-of-16).
· Niece scored five points for Northern Kentucky in the stanza and nine in the half. Duvall added eight points and five boards through the first 20 minutes.
· At half's end, OSU lead the shooting percentage 61-36, while both teams made 42 percent from 3-point range.
SECOND HALF SUMMARY
· Ohio State outscored NKU 19-12 in the third quarter despite five points each from Turner and Kailey Coffey.
· NKU outrebounded OSU, 12-10 in the period, including three caroms each by Turner and Duvall.
· Ohio State continued the pressure early in the fourth, extending its lead to as many as 39 before the Norse closed the game on a 6-0 run and did not allow the Buckeyes a field goal for the final 3:23 of the contest.
· Northern Kentucky was outshot 54 percent (15-of-28) to 24 (8-of-34) in the half.
· The Norse kept the rebound battle close, trailing by just one, 21-20.
GAME NOTES
· The Norse committed a season-low 14 turnovers, while forcing the Buckeyes into 14 of their own miscues.
· Duvall continued her strong play for the Norse, reaching double-figures in her fourth-straight game to open the season and notching a second-straight double-double. She's now averaging 11.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game.
· All 11 Norse that saw action in the game scored.
NEXT UP
· Horizon League play begins for Northern Kentucky when Youngstown State comes to BB&T Arena for a two-game series on Dec. 12 and 13. Both games are scheduled for 2 p.m. starts.
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