Sarah Woods scores against Saint Joseph’s

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - For the past 11 years, the Northern Kentucky University women’s basketball team has completely dominated the series with Saint Joseph’s.

Nothing changed Thursday night as NKU defeated Saint Joseph’s for the 23rd consecutive time during a 52-26 victory in Regents Hall. The Norse held Saint Joseph’s to 22.9 percent shooting from the field and extended their current win streak to five.

“We’ve always had a rivalry with Saint Joseph’s, and the last few years it hasn’t been quite as intense,” NKU head coach Nancy Winstel said. “They are a pretty young team, but they are hard to play because they are quick, they’re fast and they spread the floor. They didn’t run as much tonight as they have in the past.

“I’m hoping that we had something to do with that.”

Karmen Graham scored 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds as NKU improved to 9-7 overall, 7-3 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Saint Joseph’s dropped to 3-14 overall, 2-8 in the GLVC.

NKU has not lost to Saint Joseph’s since Feb. 19, 1994, when the Pumas posted a 72-67 victory against the Norse at Rensselaer, Ind. NKU now owns a 31-11 lead in the all-time series with Saint Joseph’s.

“We always work on defense, but I think the past couple games especially we’ve played exceptional defense,” Graham said. “I think that’s really helped us. It obviously has kept us ahead in the games.”

Sarah Woods added 12 points off the bench for NKU, which is ranked eighth in the latest NCAA Division II Great Lakes Region poll. The top eight teams in that poll will advance to the NCAA Division II Tournament in March. NKU is seeking its seventh consecutive berth in the NCAA Division II Tournament.

“I think Sarah played awesome. She shot the lights out, and she kept us in the game in the first half,” Graham said of Woods. “I think it would have been really close if it hadn’t been for her shooting.”

Karmen Graham goes up for a basket

NKU made just 39.1 percent of its shots from the field in the first half and scored only 23 points, but the Norse still took a 23-13 lead into the locker room. Saint Joseph’s then scored only two points during the first seven minutes of the second half and NKU rolled to the victory.

“Our defense was tremendous,” said NKU sophomore guard Betsey Clark, who saw action for the first time since suffering a shoulder injury on Dec. 20. “We had a lot of help side. They have really good penetration. Their guards are real quick, but our posts really stepped up big and helped us out. So, it was really good.”

Connie Myers finished with 10 points and eight rebounds for NKU, which has won nine of its last 11 games. The Norse shot 42 percent from the field and won the rebounding battle by a 40-30 margin.

Angela Healy scored six points and had two steals for NKU, while Elizabeth Burrows dished out six assists, grabbed four rebounds and added two steals.

Courtney Rosenbaum led Saint Joseph’s with 14 points and six rebounds.

NKU will face Wisconsin-Parkside at 1 p.m. Saturday in a key GLVC game in Regents Hall. The Rangers defeated NKU in Regents Hall last season.

Wisconsin-Parkside is ranked sixth in the latest NCAA Division II Great Lakes Region poll. The Rangers defeated Bellarmine, 75-72, on Thursday night.