Karmen Graham leads the GLVC in scoring

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University women’s basketball team will play host to Lewis at 5:30 p.m. Thursday with first place at stake in the Great Lakes Valley Conference East.

NKU enters that game with a 12-3 overall record, and the Norse are 6-2 in the GLVC. Lewis is 10-5 overall, and the Flyers are atop the GLVC East with a 6-1 record.

The winner of Thursday’s game will be in sole possession of first place in the GLVC East.

The NKU/Lewis game will be televised live on ICN-6.

STREAKS ON THE LINE: NKU and Lewis both enter Thursday with winning streaks. NKU has won six consecutive games, while Lewis owns five straight victories.

NKU AT HOME: The Norse are 8-2 at home this season. NKU is 3-1 against GLVC teams in Regents Hall.

GRAHAM ON A ROLL: Karmen Graham extended her streak of scoring in double figures to nine consecutive games with 19 points during NKU’s 62-50 win at Missouri-Rolla last Saturday. Graham also grabbed nine rebounds in that victory.

Graham leads the GLVC in scoring at 16.1 points per game. She is also fourth in field-goal percentage (.556) and 11th in rebounding at 6.0 rpg.

In addition, the 6-foot-1 junior ranks ninth in the GLVC in free-throw percentage at .806.

NEARING 700: Graham enters this week with 690 career points at NKU. She also has grabbed 332 career rebounds for the Norse.

CLOSING IN ON 600: NKU junior guard Karyn Creager has now scored 587 career points. Creager is also the Norse’s all-time career leader in free-throw percentage at .880 (169-for-192).

DEFENSE RULES: NKU has still held every opponent under 60 points this season, and the Norse lead the GLVC in scoring defense at 50.8 ppg. NKU has limited six opponents to less than 50 points this season.

The most points scored in a game against NKU this season is 58 (a 58-52 loss to Hillsdale). The Norse are also No. 1 in the GLVC in field-goal percentage defense at .344.

NKU’s Cassie Brannen

DON’T TAKE IT INSIDE: NKU continues to lead the GLVC in blocked shots at 5.07 bpg. Norse sophomore center Angela Healy ranks second in the GLVC at 1.40 bpg, while freshman post player Cassie Brannen is sixth at 1.00 bpg.

DOING THE DISHING: NKU sophomore point guard Nicole Chiodi ranks fifth in the GLVC in assists at 3.87 apg.

ABOUT LEWIS: The Flyers are led by junior forward Mary Moskal, who ranks No. 2 in the GLVC in scoring at 15.6 ppg. Junior forward Darcee Schmidt is No. 3 in the GLVC in scoring at 15.1 ppg and averages 6.6 rebounds per contest.

Senior point guard Shante Glenn is scoring 13.3 ppg and leads the GLVC in assists at 5.33 apg.

THE LAST TIME AGAINST LEWIS: On Feb. 19, 2005, Shante Glenn scored 10 of her 17 points late in the second half as Lewis held off NKU, 69-61, at the Neil Carey Arena.

NKU rallied from a 14-point deficit in the second half to tie the game at 49-49 when Brittany Winner drained a 3-point shot with 8:11 remaining. Brittney Diener responded with a 3-pointer to give Lewis a 52-49 edge, but Karyn Creager countered by making a 3-pointer with 6:48 left to tie the score at 52-52.

Glenn took over at that point, scoring eight of Lewis’ next 10 points to give the Flyers a 62-56 lead. Her driving layup with 3:47 remaining capped the Lewis spurt, and she added another basket with 1:19 left to give Lewis a 67-56 advantage.

Mary Moskal added 15 points and nine rebounds for Lewis. Glenn, who scored 12 points in the second half, also added five rebounds as the Flyers defeated NKU at home for the second straight season.
Lewis - which bolted out to a 12-0 lead five minutes into the game - shot 46.6 percent from the field and forced NKU into 16 turnovers.

Darcee Schmidt added 11 points for Lewis, which is 5-35 all-time against NKU.

Connie Myers led NKU with 20 points, and she finished 10-for-10 at the free-throw line. Karmen Graham added 11 points for the Norse, who shot just 31.6 percent from the field.

LAST SEASON IN REGENTS HALL: On Dec. 9, 2004, Karmen Graham scored 10 of her game-high 17 points in the second half to lead NKU to a 54-47 win over Lewis. She also provided the biggest play of the night with less than three minutes remaining and the game tied at 43-43.

After taking a feed from Nikki Perkins inside, Graham powered her way for a basket while being fouled to give NKU a 45-43 advantage with 2:41 left in the game. She finished off the conventional three-point play by sinking the free throw to extend the Norse’s lead to 46-43.

Perkins hit a short jumper with 1:10 remaining to give NKU a 48-43 lead. Tenesha McDaniel responded with a basket to bring Lewis within 48-45, but Connie Myers hit two free throws with 34 seconds left to push the Norse advantage to 50-45.

Graham added two free throws with 21 seconds remaining to give NKU a 52-45 lead, and Perkins sealed the win with a layup.