Angela Healy had 14 points on Tuesday

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - During its first two games, the Northern Kentucky University women’s basketball team has combined a balanced offense with a stingy defense and coasted to a pair of easy victories.

NKU improved to 2-0 Tuesday night by dispatching Northwood (Mich.), 81-55, in Regents Hall. The Norse built a 39-23 halftime lead and rolled past the Timberwolves, who shot just 32.3 percent from the field during the first 20 minutes.

“This was a big game for us because it’s a regional a game. Northwood is good competition for us,” NKU head coach Nancy Winstel said. “They are a solid opponent. I saw them play on Sunday (against Southern Indiana), and they are going to come and give you all they have.”

Angela Healy scored 12 of her 14 points in the first half for NKU, which used a 15-2 run to erase a 12-9 Northwood lead and build a 24-14 advantage. The Norse made 56 percent of their shots from the field during the first 20 minutes.

In the second half, sophomore point guard Nicole Chiodi keyed a 20-8 run with six points and a couple of perfect passes on fast breaks. Chiodi finished with 10 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds and three steals.

“I think Nicole Chiodi played an awesome game,” said NKU junior guard Karyn Creager. “She can just see the court so well, and she hits you when you are open. That gets our offense rolling.”

Creager scored a game-high 17 points and made all three of her attempts from 3-point range. Creager drained a pair of consecutive 3-pointers in the second half to give NKU a 59-33 lead.

“The first game, I was real frustrated,” Creager said, referring to her 2-for-10 shooting performance last week against Wilberforce. “I think I was putting too much pressure on myself, and I just remembered I wanted to come out and have fun. I think that helped get the pressure off and helped me play my game.”

Nicole Chiodi dished out 10 assists

NKU connected on 63 percent from the field in the second half to roll past the Timberwolves. The Norse also shot 72.7 percent from 3-point range, led by Creager’s three treys.

“The thing about it is, if you took a vote of who everyone thought was the best shooter on this team is, it would be Karyn,” Winstel said. “Tonight, they were doubling on Angela Healy, and Karyn made them pay big time. She put the ball on the floor, and she made her free throws.”

Healy made all six of her attempts from the field and added five rebounds. The sophomore center also finished with three assists and three steals. Karmen Graham scored 11 points in 20 minutes of play for NKU.

Just like in the season-opening win against Wilberforce, 10 NKU players hit the scoring column. But it was the defense that had Winstel most pleased.

“I thought our defensive intensity was key,” Winstel said. “To me, it all starts and stops with defense. And, I also thought our half court execution was better. It was not where we wanted it to be, but it was better than it was (against Wilberforce). It was not where we wanted it to be but it was better.”

Maureen Elliott led Northwood (1-2) with 16 points and five steals. NKU also knocked off Northwood last season by a 57-51 score at Midland, Mich., to give Winstel her 500th career victory.

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

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