Karmen Graham had 15 points vs. Drury

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University women’s basketball team will hit the road for a pair of Great Lakes Valley Conference road games this week, starting with a 6:30 p.m. Thursday contest at Saint Joseph’s.

The Norse will conclude the road trip Saturday with a 1 p.m. game at Indianapolis. NKU is 4-1 overall, 1-1 in the GLVC.

Both games this week will be broadcast live on the Internet at www.nku.edu/~athletics and on WIOK (107.5 FM).

NKU is coming off a 56-45 loss to No. 2 Drury last Saturday. The Lady Panthers forced 30 NKU turnovers and prevailed in a battle of unbeaten teams.

It marked the first-ever meeting between the two perennial powers in women’s basketball.

BLOCK PARTY: NKU sophomore center Angela Healy (Highlands High School) ranks No. 3 in the GLVC in blocked shots at 1.60 bpg. She ranks 10th in the GLVC in shooting percentage at .552 from the field. Healy also averages 8.6 points and 6.6 rebounds per game.

GRAHAM OFF TO GREAT START: NKU junior post player Karmen Graham leads the team in scoring at 13 ppg, and she is shooting 57.7 percent from the field. Graham led NKU with 15 points and nine rebounds against Drury.

BOARD-CRASHER: NKU freshman post player Cassie Brannen averages 5.6 rebounds per game, and she leads the team with nine offensive boards. Brannen also averages 6.6 ppg and is shooting 61.1 percent from the field.

ON TARGET: NKU junior guard Karyn Creager is second in the GLVC in free-throw shooting at 93.3 percent. Creager, who averages 9.6 ppg, scored her 500th career point against Drury.

Angela Healy averages 1.60 blocks

TOUGH DEFENSE: NKU continues to lead the GLVC in both field-goal percentage defense (.326) and points allowed (51.2 ppg). The Norse held Drury to just 31.6 percent shooting from the field last Saturday.

ABOUT SAINT JOSEPH’S: The Pumas own a 4-3 overall record after dropping a 74-62 decision at Wisconsin-Parkside last Saturday. Saint Joseph’s is 0-3 in the GLVC.

Ashley Hughes leads Saint Joseph’s in scoring at 13.9 ppg. Michelle Bova is also scoring in double figures at 13.0 ppg.

THE LAST TIME AGAINST SAINT JOSEPH’S: On Jan. 20, 2005, Karmen Graham scored 15 points and grabbed nine rebounds as NKU defeated Saint Joseph’s, 52-26, in Regents Hall. The Norse held Saint Joseph’s to 22.9 percent shooting from the field.

Sarah Woods added 12 points off the bench for NKU, which shot 42 percent from the field and won the rebounding battle by a 40-30 margin.

THE STREAK AGAINST THE PUMAS: NKU has beaten Saint Joseph’s 23 consecutive times going into Thursday’s game. 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 owns a 31-11 lead in the all-time series with Saint Joseph’s.