Karmen Graham against Wilberforce

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University women’s basketball team will play host to Northwood (Mich.) at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Regents Hall.

The NKU/Northwood game will be broadcast live on the Internet at www.nku.edu/~athletics.

NKU opened the season last week with a 71-40 win over Wilberforce (Ohio) in Regents Hall. Northwood enters Tuesday’s game with a 1-1 record after dropping a 66-55 decision at Southern Indiana on Sunday.

CHIODI MAKES A POINT: Sophomore point guard Nicole Chiodi scored a career-high 11 points, dished out six assists and grabbed six rebounds to lead NKU past Wilberforce. That game marked Chiodi’s first start at point guard for the Norse.

Chiodi also added two steals as the Norse forced Wilberforce into 28 turnovers and limited the Lady Bulldogs to 28 percent shooting from the field. Karmen Graham added nine points and four rebounds for NKU.

IMPRESSIVE DEBUT: NKU freshman forward Cassie Brannen scored eight points before halftime against Wilberforce by making all four of her attempts from the field. Brannen, the former Mount Notre Dame High School standout, finished with eight points in her collegiate debut.

Norse freshman guard Danyelle Echoles, a Colerain High School graduate, came off the bench and hit a pair of 3-point shots. Junior forward Katie Butler added six points, five rebounds and two blocked shots in her NKU debut. Butler, a transfer from Dayton, also had two assists.

BALANCED SCORING: NKU had 10 players hit the scoring column against Wilberforce.

ABOUT NORTHWOOD: The Timberwolves, members of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, are led by junior guard Anna Trim, who averages 22 points per game.
Junior center Brittany Stedman is scoring 13 ppg, and senior guard Maureen Elliott averages 11 ppg.

Danyelle Echoles in her collegiate debut

THE LAST TIME AGAINST NORTHWOOD: On Dec. 31, 2004, NKU head coach Nancy Winstel recorded her 500th career victory as the Norse defeated Northwood, 57-51, at Midland, Mich.

Northwood jumped out to a 6-2 lead early in the game, but NKU responded with an 18-0 run to take a 20-6 advantage. Connie Myers and Brittany Winner combined for 15 points and 11 rebounds in the first half as NKU settled for a 30-24 lead at the break.

Northwood started the second half with a 13-2 run to take a 37-32 lead on Devon Hillstrom’s jumper. Myers countered with a pair of baskets for NKU, and Angela Healy later gave the Norse a 38-37 advantage with a short jumper.

NKU forged a 51-45 lead with 3:49 remaining on Winner’s jump shot, but Maureen Elliott drained a 3-pointer at the 3:10 mark to bring Northwood within 51-48. Karmen Graham responded by scoring while being fouled, and she converted the free throw to give NKU a 54-48 lead with 2:43 left.

Myers led NKU with 17 points and 13 rebounds, while Winner added 13 points and eight rebounds. NKU held Northwood to just 30.8 percent shooting from the field, and the Timberwolves did not make a field goal during the final 2:21 of the game.

WAYNE STATE UP NEXT: NKU will visit Detroit, Mich., on Saturday for a 1 p.m. game against Wayne State. The Norse will then begin Great Lakes Valley Conference play Dec. 1 with a 5:30 p.m. game against Rockhurst (Mo.) in Regents Hall.

Drury, which is ranked No. 2 nationally in the Division II preseason poll, will also visit Regents Hall at 1 p.m. Dec. 3 for a GLVC contest with NKU. Rockhurst and Drury are competing in the GLVC for the first time this season.