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HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University women’s basketball team meets Bellarmine at 5:30 p.m. Saturday as part of the 2008 Homecoming in Regents Hall. NKU enters Saturday with a 15-5 overall record. The Norse are 8-4 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference and tied with Bellarmine (16-7 overall, 8-4 GLVC) for second place in the GLVC East Division. Bellarmine was chosen by the coaches as the preseason favorite to win the GLVC East Division. Indianapolis leads the GLVC East Division with an 8-3 record, but the Greyhounds must play at Kentucky Wesleyan on Thursday. NKU is ranked No. 9 in the latest NCAA Division II Great Lakes Region poll. Bellarmine is No. 5 in the regional rankings. The GLVC and Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference champions receive automatic berths to the NCAA Tournament in March, and six schools will be awarded at-large berths to comprise the eight-team Great Lakes Region field. Drury is No. 1 in the regional poll, followed by Hillsdale, Indianapolis, Missouri S&T and Bellarmine. HEALY HURTS RANGERS: Angela Healy matched her career high with 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds last Saturday as NKU cruised past Wisconsin-Parkside, 73-55, in Regents Hall. Healy, a senior center from Highlands High School, has 12 double-doubles this season and 1,047 career points. She averages 14.7 points per game and a GLVC-leading 10.3 rebounds per contest. SLACK ON TARGET: Jessie Slack added 18 points for the Norse against Wisconsin-Parkside. Slack also made all 10 of her free-throw attempts and dished out three assists as NKU upped its lead in the all-time series with Wisconsin-Parkside to 22-5. BENCH STRENGTH: Rachel Lantry finished with eight points and three assists off the bench against Wisconsin-Parkside. Lantry’s eight first-half points helped NKU build a 37-21 lead at the break. DEFENSE RULES: The Norse held the Rangers to an ice-cold 23.9 percent from the field, including 15.8 percent (3-for-19) in the first half. NKU made 45.8 percent of its shots from the field and converted 82.8 percent (24-for-29) of its free throws. BRANNEN NEARS RECORD: NKU junior post player Cassie Brannen needs three blocked shots to become the Norse’s all-time career leader. Brannen enters Saturday with 130 career blocks. Janet Brungs is currently NKU’s leader in blocked shots with 132. GLVC FORMAT: If the Norse win the GLVC East title or finish second, they will host a first-round GLVC Tournament game March 4 in Regents Hall. The semifinals and finals will then be played at the highest remaining seed. The GLVC Tournament had been held in Evansville, Ind., the past nine years in Roberts Stadium. HOOPS FOR HOPE: As part of the WBCA’s “Think Pink” cancer awareness program, NKU will have a “Hoops for Hope” pack-the-gym promotion Feb. 14 as part of its doubleheader against Saint Joseph’s. Everyone is encouraged to wear pink that evening in Regents Hall, and donations will go to Avon's Breast Cancer Crusade Foundation. Call (859) 572-5195 for more information. ABOUT BELLARMINE: The Knights feature senior guard Angela Smith, an outstanding long-range shooter who averages 16.1 ppg. Katie Willinger is scoring 11.6 ppg and 6.1 rebounds for Bellarmine, while Dana Beaven averages 10.6 ppg and 6.7 rpg. THE
LAST TIME AGAINST BELLARMINE: On Feb. 19, 2007, NKU placed
five players in double figures during a 76-64 win over Bellarmine
in Regents Hall. Angela Healy scored 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds
for the Norse, while Cassie Brannen added 13 points and blocked
six shots. BOBBLEHEAD NIGHT: On Feb. 14, fans will receive a free bobblehead doll of NKU president Dr. James Votruba during the Norse’s doubleheader against Saint Joseph’s in Regents Hall.
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