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By Mike Anderson, NKU Sports Information HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University women's basketball team travels to Bloomington, Ind., to meet Indiana University at 7 p.m. Monday in Assembly Hall. The game will be broadcast live on the Internet at http://www.nku.edu/~athletics. NKU opened its exhibition schedule last Wednesday night by dropping a hard-fought 77-60 decision to the University of Kentucky in in Memorial Coliseum. Samantha Mahoney helped No. 16 UK pull out the victory by scoring career-high 28 points. Karyn Creager led the Norse in Lexington with 11 points, and Katie Butler chipped in 10. Brittany Winner scored eight points, six in the first half, and grabbed six rebounds. The Wildcats hold a 10-4 edge over the Norse in the all-time series, but this marked the first exhibition game between the two schools in women's basketball. NKU is ranked 15th nationally in the USA Today/ESPN Division II preseason poll. The Norse were 27-5 last season and captured the Great Lakes Valley Conference championship. NKU also advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA Division II Great Lakes Region Tournament. CAREER GAME: Sophomore guard Keri Finnell had a career-high seven points off the bench against UK. ON THE BOARDS: Despite the size disparity between NKU and UK last Wednesday, the Norse were able to win the battle on the boards, outrebounding the Wildcats by a 30-28 margin. In the first half, NKU grabbed seven offensive and eight defensive rebounds. Winner led the team with six rebounds, three on each side of the court. Nicole Chiodi pulled down five defensive rebounds. NKU All-America candidate Karmen Graham - NKU's top rebounder last season - played just 18 minutes last Wednesday against UK. The 6-foot-1 Graham played fewer than 18 minutes just twice last season. ABOUT IU: Indiana posted a 19-14 record last season and earned a berth in the Women's NIT. Indiana was the most improved team in the Big Ten last season, adding nine wins from the 2004-05 campaign. The Hoosiers began exhibition play with a 66-35 win over Indianapolis on Nov. 3. Sophomore Whitney Thomas led all players with 16 points, 11 rebounds and seven steals as the Hoosiers routed the Greyhounds. THE NKU/IU SERIES: The series is tied at 2-2. The last meeting was a 71-62 victory for NKU in its 1979-80 home opener. REGULAR-SEASON ACTION BEGINS NOV. 21: The Norse will begin their regular season at home on Nov. 21 against Midway (Ky.). Ironically enough, Winstel began her coaching career at Midway, and she can earn her 500th victory on the NKU sideline against that very school in the opener. Nine days later, NKU will open GLVC play against Quincy at 5:30 p.m. in Regents Hall.
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