HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – Northern Kentucky University Norse women's basketball took on Purdue Fort Wayne in a showdown for second place in the Horizon League on Saturday, in a game that delivered on every level. Much like the first matchup, the Norse trailed by double digits in the third quarter but stormed back to force overtime. However, Purdue Fort Wayne pulled ahead in the bonus period to take the game by six, despite a career night 

THE FACTS
FINAL SCORE: Northern Kentucky – 91, Purdue Fort Wayne – 97, overtime
LOCATION: Truist Arena – Highland Heights, Ky. 
RECORDS: NKU: 10-13 (7-5 HL), PFW: 13-8 (7-4 HL)
 
BOX SCORE BREAKDOWN
- The Norse shot just 36.8% from the field and 30.8% from three, while going 23-27 from the line. Comparatively, the Mastodons shot 47.1% from the field, 33.3% from three, and 22-28 from the line. 
- Northern Kentucky lost the rebound battle for the first time in 13 games, as PFW grabbed 46 boards to NKU's 41. 
- NKU kept it clean with turnovers, only turning the ball over ten times to Purdue Fort Wayne's 13. NKU scored 19 points off turnovers to the Mastodons' ten. 
- Karina Bystry led the Norse with 35 points on 11-21 shooting, 4-9 shooting from three, and 9-10 shooting from the free throw line. She also had five rebounds, three assists, and two steals. 
- Mya Meredith dropped 14 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals, and two blocks. 
- Maddie Moody had 11 points, eight rebounds, and a pair of blocks. 
- Kamora Morgan went for 11 points off the bench, also grabbing four rebounds. 
- Taysha Rushton dropped ten points with a pair of assists. 

GAME NOTES
- Karina Bystry's 35 points set a new NKU freshman record in the DI era, surpassing Carter McCray's 29 points on March 7, 2024. It marked the most points in a single game since Lindsey Duvall had 36 on November 10, 2022. 
- Karina Bystry's 35 points were the most in a game by a Horizon League player this season, and the most since Maddy Skorupski had 38 for Oakland on February 1, 2025. It was tied for the second-most points in a game by a Horizon League freshman ever, and the most since Wright State's Kim Demmings had 38 on January 14, 2012. 
- Her 35 points were tied for the fifth-most in any game this season by any freshman in the country. 

NEXT UP
- NKU continues its three-game homestand on Saturday, taking on Cleveland State at 1 PM. 

FOLLOW NKU NORSE WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Get in the game and follow Northern Kentucky's NCAA Division I women's college basketball team through @NKUNorseWBB on Twitter, @NKUNorseWBB on Instagram, nkunorsewbb on Facebook and subscribe to the NKU Norse YouTube channel.