HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University women’s basketball team will play host to Bellarmine University this Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in a Great Lakes Valley Conference showdown in Regents Hall.
NKU won its fifth consecutive game Saturday with a 98-82 victory at the University of Southern Indiana. The Norse improved to 12-3 overall, 8-2 in the GLVC. NKU is in sole possession of first place in the GLVC, one-half game ahead of both Bellarmine and the University of Indianapolis.
Bridget Flanagan scored a career-high 31 points Saturday to lead NKU past Southern Indiana. Flanagan - who was named GLVC Player of the Week on Monday after averaging 25.5 points per game last week - hit seven three-point shots as NKU made a school-record 15 three-pointers.
The previous NKU team record for three-pointers made in a game was 11, which had been done four times by the Norse. The 15 three-pointers also tied a GLVC single-game record, which was set by Bellarmine on Jan. 11, 1996.
Amy Mobley added 24 points, eight assists and five rebounds for the Norse. Sharell Snardon came off the bench and scored 12 points for NKU, which shot 59.3 percent from the field. NKU broke open a close game in the second half by shooting 64.3 percent from the field.
Flanagan scored 19 points in the second half, and she made five three-point shots after halftime. She hit a trio of three-pointers to key a 20-6 run midway through the second half as NKU built a 93-70 lead.
Connie Myers added 10 points for the Norse, who rallied from a six-point deficit in the final seven minutes of the first half to take a 43-41 lead at intermission. NKU scored the first five points of the second half and led the remainder of the game.
NKU CLOSES IN ON 600 WINS: The victory against Southern Indiana was No. 598 in the 29-year history of the NKU women’s basketball program. In 29 years of competition, the Norse own a 598-228 record.
NKU head coach Nancy Winstel has guided the Norse to 425 wins during the past 20 years. Counting her playing career at NKU, Winstel has been a part of 491 of the 598 victories in Norse history.
MOBLEY ENJOYS BIG ROAD TRIP: NKU senior Amy Mobley averaged 21.5 ppg last week as the Norse swept a GLVC road trip at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and Southern Indiana. Mobley also averaged 7.5 assists per game, 4.5 rebounds, and she made 16 of 26 (.615) shots from the field in the two wins.
For the season, Mobley leads NKU in scoring (15.3 ppg), rebounding (7.4 rpg), steals (24), and she is tied with Kristin Polosky for No. 1 on the team in assists with 64. Mobley is shooting 52.6 percent from the field, and she has made 23 of 51 attempts from three-point range.
During her last five games, Mobley has averaged 19.6 ppg and 7.0 rpg.
NKU GOLDEN AT HOME: NKU is unbeaten at home this season (7-0), and the Norse are 33-2 in Regents Hall during the past three years. NKU has won 11 straight at home, with the last defeat a 72-59 setback against Bellarmine on Jan. 19, 2002.
ABOUT BELLARMINE: The Knights own a 12-4 overall record after posting an 82-69 win at Kentucky Wesleyan College on Saturday. Bellarmine is tied for second place with Indianapolis in the GLVC standings with a 7-2 record.
Bellarmine is led by senior point guard Nickie Randall, who averages 14.3 ppg and 7.6 assists per game. Randall also has made a team-leading 23 three-point shots.
Sophomore center Lyndsey Neal averages 14.4 ppg and 7.3 rpg, and she has made 57.6 percent of her shots from the field. Senior forward Audrey Cannon is scoring 12.3 ppg and leads Bellarmine in rebounding at 8.9 rpg.
THE LAST TIME AGAINST BELLARMINE: Earlier this season on Dec. 7 at Louisville, Ky., Audrey Cannon scored 22 points and made a pair of clutch baskets late in the game as Bellarmine rallied to defeat NKU, 71-65, in Knights Hall.
NKU built a 48-43 lead with 13:33 remaining when Connie Myers converted two free throws. Bellarmine, however, used a 6-0 run to take a 49-48 advantage with 10:07 left in the game.
After Jessica Brock gave NKU a 54-53 lead with a follow-up shot, Nickie Randall hit a 10-foot jumper to put Bellarmine up for good at 55-54. With less than four minutes left, Cannon made consecutive baskets to extend the Knights advantage to 61-56.
Kristin Polosky made a pair of free throws to cut the Bellarmine lead to 61-60 with 1:56 left in the game, but Cannon and Randall each converted two free throws to stretch the advantage back to 65-60. NKU closed to within 66-63 on a three-pointer by Elizabeth Burrows with 22 seconds remaining, but the Knights sealed the victory by making four free throws in the closing seconds.
Myers scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead NKU. Bridget Flanagan added 13 points, and Amy Mobley finished with 12 points and five assists. Randall added 16 points and nine assists for Bellarmine.
Amy Mobley