---NKU’s Jessie Slack (21) looks to pass against Cincinnati on Nov. 1. Slack, a transfer from East Carolina, poured in a game-high 24 points and drained six 3-pointers. Cincinnati, however, held on for a 69-67 win over the Norse.

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University women’s basketball team begins the season Thursday with a home game against in-state foe Brescia at 7 p.m.

The game can be heard live on the Internet at www.nkunorse.com.

NKU posted a 21-8 record last season and advanced to the NCAA Division II Tournament for the 10th time in 11 years. The Norse, who welcome back three starters, are ranked 18th nationally in the WBCA’s NCAA Division II poll.

HEAVY LOSSES: NKU must replace five seniors from last season. Among the graduated Norse standouts are 1,000-point club members Karmen Graham and Karyn Creager, a pair of four-year letterwinners. NKU must also replace All-Great Lakes Valley Conference and All-Great Lakes Region performer Brittany Winner, forward Katie Butler and guard Betsey Clark.

FAMILIAR FACES: Norse senior center Angela Healy averaged 11.3 points and 6.9 rebounds per game last season, and the Highlands High School product is the team’s top returning player. Healy, who enters this season with 753 career points, was named to the All-GLVC second team as a junior.

NKU also returns senior point guard Nicole Chiodi (6.9 ppg, team-leading 98 assists) and junior post player Cassie Brannen (9.0 ppg, school-record 71 blocked shots). Returning letterwinners Karen Brackman (3.0 ppg), Danyelle Echoles (1.7 ppg) and Rachel Lantry (1.5 ppg) figure to play key roles this season.

JESSIE GIVES UC NO SLACK: NKU junior guard Jessie Slack was a major contributor for East Carolina the past two years, and much is expected from the 5-foot-10 native of Mt. Perry, Ohio, this season. Slack enjoyed an impressive debut for the Norse during an exhibition game against the University of Cincinnati on Nov. 1 by pouring in 24 points as NKU dropped a 69-67 decision.

Slack buried six shots from 3-point range against Cincinnati. She started 22 games last season at East Carolina and averaged 6.7 points as the Pirates captured the Conference USA championship. In addition, she set a single-season record at East Carolina by making 84 percent of her free throws. Slack scored in double figures five times as a sophomore, including 17-point efforts against both Harvard and Pittsburgh.

HUGE COMEBACK FALLS JUST SHORT: Cincinnati held NKU to 8-for-23 shooting from the field during the first half with a zone defense and built a 36-24 lead at the break. The Bearcats extended their advantage to 47-26 on a layup by Caitlin Pauley with 13:21 remaining in the game and still owned a 21-point cushion after Tenishia Benson's basket with 12:40 left.

After two free throws by Cassie Brannen cut the UC lead to 49-30, Jessie Slack and Rachel Lantry fueled the NKU comeback from long range. First it was Slack, who drained a 3-pointer to make it 49-33. Lantry followed by burying back-to-back treys to bring the Norse to within 53-39.

---Angela Healy attempts a shot against Cincinnati on Nov. 1 in an exhibition game. Healy, a senior center and a Highlands High School graduate, scored 13 points in that game as NKU dropped a 69-67 decision to the Bearcats.

After an Angela Healy basket made it 54-41, Slack struck again by connecting on yet another 3-pointer to cut the UC lead to 54-44 with 10:01 remaining. UC regained its composure and appeared to have put the game away after building a 12-point lead with 2:27 remaining. The Norse stormed back with a 9-0 run, capped by seven straight points from Slack. She made two free throws with 33 seconds left to make it 67-64.

Jill Stevens made one of two free throws with 18 seconds left to extend UC's lead to 68-64. After Nicole Chiodi missed a 3-point attempt, Slack chased down the offensive rebound and launched a long 3-pointer that found the bottom of the net to make it 68-67 with a second remaining. NKU fouled Carla Jacobs with 0.9 seconds on the clock, and Jacobs missed the first free throw. She then hit the second attempt to make it 69-67, but NKU had one final chance.

A length-of-the-court pass, however, was batted away as the buzzer sounded, and UC escaped with a win against an NKU basketball team for the second straight evening. The night before, the Bearcat men rallied for a 76-71 victory against the Norse.

REJECTION MACHINE: NKU junior post player Cassie Brannen blocked a school-record 12 shots in a game against Indianapolis on Feb. 24, 2007. Brannen is a graduate of Mount Notre Dame High School in Cincinnati.

NKU NO. 2 IN GLVC POLL: NKU is picked to finish second in the GLVC East Division by the league coaches. Bellarmine is the favorite in the GLVC East after totaling 33 points and four first-place votes. The Knights finished 19-11 overall, 11-8 in the GLVC last season.

NKU (14-5 in the GLVC last season) finished second in the voting with 29 total points and one first-place vote, while Kentucky Wesleyan (18-10, 11-8 GLVC) collected 27 total points and one first-place vote to finish third in the poll.

ABOUT BRESCIA: The Bearcats are 1-4 after dropping an 84-81 double-overtime decision against Lindsey Wilson on Monday night. Christal Floyd leads Brescia in scoring at 16.2 ppg. Danielle Jenkins averages 15.0 ppg and a team-leading 10.0 rebounds per game.

THE LAST TIME AGAINST BRESCIA: On Dec. 29, 2005, NKU posted a 63-42 win over Brescia in Regents Hall. Angela Healy led the Norse with 17 points, eight rebounds and four steals. She also had three blocked shots and was 7-for-12 from the field.

Karmen Graham added 11 points and six rebounds for the Norse, who won the rebounding battle by a 43-29 margin. Karyn Creager scored nine points - all on 3-point field goals - for NKU, while teammate Betsey Clark finished with eight points and four assists. Brittany Winner came off the bench and grabbed eight rebounds for the Norse.