LA JOLLA, Calif. – After a much needed win over UC San Diego just 24 hours earlier, Northern Kentucky Norse Women's Basketball faced off against the La Salle Explorers looking to build momentum going into Horizon League play. The Norse bench provided plenty of offense, as Kalissa Lacy and Noelle Hubert set season-highs in scoring, but the Norse fell just short in their final game in California. 

THE FACTS
FINAL SCORE: Northern Kentucky – 67, La Salle – 70
LOCATION: LionTree Arena - La Jolla, Calif. 
RECORDS: NKU: 3-10 (0-2 HL), LSU: 7-6 (1-0 A10)

BOX SCORE BREAKDOWN
- Kalissa Lacy led all scorers in Friday's contest, pouring in a career-high 19 points. Lacy went 7-14 from the field, 3-7 from three, recorded three assists and three rebounds. 
- Noelle Hubert had the most statistically productive day of the year, setting season-highs in points (10), rebounds (6), assists (3), and blocked her first shot of the 2024-25 campaign. Hubert led all Norse in minutes played with 26, also a season-high. 
- Plenty of other Norse were solid statistical contributors. Halle Idowu posted nine points, five rebounds, and a block in 19 minutes. Mya Meredith had eight points and five rebounds, Abby Wolterman had seven points and three rebounds, and Kamora Morgan had six points, two blocks, and a steal. 
 
NORSE NOTES
- La Salle started on an 8-0 run, prompting a platoon swap for the Norse. A lineup of Lacy, Hubert, Anna Hamilton, Madison French, and Gabby Razzano entered and were able to come right back, playing the final eight minutes of the first quarter as they cut the lead to just one by the end of the period. Lacy and Hubert combined for 15 points after the first ten minutes of action. 
- To start the second, the Norse took a 21-20 lead, but the Explorers took it right back just eight seconds later. Those eight seconds ended up being the only eight the Norse led for the whole game, but was always threatening to take the lead. La Salle took an eleven point lead to end the half, but that was their largest as the Norse kept fighting in the second half. The final eighteen minutes of the game were within three possessions, with La Salle never holding an advantage larger than six in the fourth. 
- In the third, La Salle missed six of their nine free throw attempts, a gift to a Norse team fighting to keep it close. However, they were able to flip the switch on their charity stripe shooting in the fourth, which was just enough to keep the Norse at bay. The Explorers went 14-18 from the line in the final period, as NKU played the foul game late as they were trying to catch up. La Salle hit nine of their ten free throw attempts after the 1:17 mark in the period, as their clutch freebie shooting put Northern Kentucky away.

NEXT UP
Northern Kentucky re-starts Horizon League play on December 29, welcoming the Golden Grizzlies to Truist Arena for a 1 PM ET matinee. 

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