Jan. 22, 2002

NKU HITS ROAD FOR USI, UMSL

Norse to meet USI in GLVC showdown this Thursday

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University women’s basketball team is 13-3 after dropping a 72-59 decision to Bellarmine University on Saturday night in Regents Hall. The Norse lead the Great Lakes Valley Conference with a 9-1 record by one-half game over the University of Southern Indiana (16-3, 9-2 GLVC). NKU and Southern Indiana will meet this Thursday night at 6:15 p.m. at the PAC Arena in Evansville, Ind., with first place on the line. Lynne Johnson and Nickie Randall both scored 23 points Saturday as Bellarmine defeated NKU. Randall added five steals as Bellarmine handed NKU its first loss in the GLVC. Bellarmine built a 38-31 halftime lead as Johnson scored 14 points. The Knights held NKU to just five points during the first 10 minutes of the second half and coasted to the victory. Amy Mobley led NKU with 22 points and 11 rebounds. Kristin Polosky added 13 points and eight rebounds for the Norse, who made just 35.1 percent of their shots from the field. NKU played without senior All-America forward Michelle Cottrell, who is out with a stress fracture in her right foot. Cottrell, who averages 18 points and 10.5 rebounds per game, is also expected to miss the Southern Indiana and Missouri-St. Louis games this week. Cottrell needs just 20 points reach the 2,000-point plateau. She is NKU’s all-time leading scorer with 1,980 points. ANOTHER DOUBLE-DOUBLE FOR MOBLEY: NKU junior forward Amy Mobley recorded her third straight double-double Saturday with 22 points and 11 rebounds against Bellarmine. During her last four games, Mobley has averaged 22.3 points, 10.8 rebounds and 4.9 assists. GLVC HOME STREAK ENDS: Before Saturday’s defeat to Bellarmine, NKU had not lost a home game to a GLVC team since Jan. 8, 2000, when Bellarmine posted a 76-72 win against NKU in Regents Hall. During that streak, NKU was 24-0 against GLVC teams in Regents Hall. FLANAGAN NO. 1 IN THE GLVC: NKU junior guard Bridget Flanagan ranks No. 1 in the GLVC in three-pointers made per game at 2.56. She has made 41 of 103 three-point attempts this season, and her 39.8 percent ranks No. 5 in the GLVC. NKU NO. 1 AGAINST THE THREE-POINTER: NKU ranks No. 1 in the GLVC in three-point field goal percentage defense at 27.4 percent. The Norse rank No. 2 in field goal percentage defense at 37.9 percent. ABOUT SOUTHERN INDIANA: The Lady Eagles enter Thursday having won nine straight games after pulling out a 76-73 overtime victory against Saint Joseph's on Saturday. Southern Indiana is 16-3 overall, 9-2 in the GLVC. Southern Indiana is led by sophomore forward Jessica Stuckman, who averages 20.1 points and 6.7 rebounds. Stuckman is also shooting 53.8 percent from the field. Senior guard Jasmine Moore averages 13.4 ppg and has dished out a team-leading 77 assists. Junior forward Africa Sherrod averages 12.6 ppg and 6.7 rebounds per contest. THE LAST TIME AGAINST SOUTHERN INDIANA: Earlier this season on Dec. 8, Bridget Flanagan scored a career-high 25 points as NKU defeated Southern Indiana, 81-71, in Regents Hall. Flanagan made seven three-pointers in that game. Michelle Cottrell added 19 points and 18 rebounds for the Norse, who shot 52.6 percent from the field. NKU held a 38-37 halftime lead and extended the advantage to 61-53 with 8:34 remaining in the game when Flanagan made a short jumper. USI, however, responded with an 11-2 run to take a 64-63 lead when Jasmine Moore hit a jump shot. Cottrell gave NKU the lead for good at the 5:53 mark with a layup, and Flanagan sealed the victory by making her seventh three-pointer with 1:02 left to give NKU a 76-68 lead. Kristin Polosky added 16 points for NKU, which connected on 62.5 percent of its shots from the field in the second half. The Norse won the rebounding battle by a 41-37 margin.