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HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - Angela Healy recorded yet another double-double Saturday, and the senior center just missed scoring her 1,000th career point in front of the home crowd. Healy scored 15 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as Northern Kentucky University cruised to a 65-44 win over Kentucky Wesleyan in Regents Hall. She also blocked four shots, dished out four assists and collected four steals as the Norse improved to 13-3 overall, 6-2 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Healy - who has recorded 10 double-doubles this season - upped her career point total to 998, one basket shy of becoming the 24th player in Norse history to reach 1,000. The Highlands High School product had a couple of chances to join the NKU 1,000-point club late in the second half, but both shot attempts missed the mark. “I know it was supposed to be her 1,000th-point game, so it was really disappointing she didn’t get to do it at home, but she kept her head up and was more worried about the team than anything else,” NKU junior forward Cassie Brannen said. “That just goes to show how great of a player she really is. She’ll get to 1,000 points in the next game at Missouri-St. Louis, but we hoped she would get it here at home in front of the Regents Hall crowd.” That means the 6-foot-1 inside force will join NKU’s exclusive 1,000-point club with her first basket or two free throws against Missouri-St. Louis next Thursday. Healy, who has become one of the nation’s top post players as a senior, said she is looking forward to reaching the milestone and credited her teammates for putting her in this position. “I definitely think it is an honor to join that club because we have such amazing players from the past,” said Healy, who was 7-for-13 from the field. “I also wish that everyone who has ever given me an assist could also be given some type of recognition, because it is a team game.” Brannen scored 17 points and grabbed eight rebounds for NKU. The Mount Notre Dame High School product was 5-for-8 from the field. “Going into the game, we knew Kentucky Wesleyan had been struggling a little bit, but we couldn’t let that stop our intensity,” Brannen said. “We knew that we had to come out strong, and that’s what we did.” NKU limited Kentucky Wesleyan (7-8, 1-6 GLVC) to 37.2 percent shooting from the field and finished with a 35-22 edge in rebounding. The Norse, who jumped out to a 24-9 lead, shot 53.1 percent from the field and now own a 47-4 lead in the all-time series with the Panthers.
Brannen and Healy also demonstrated their ability to knock down shots from the outside. Brannen was 2-for-2 from 3-point range, while Healy buried a trey from downtown in the second half. “Those two kids can shoot that three, and they’re looking to shoot it more,” NKU head coach Nancy Winstel said. “We practice threes everyday, including our post players. Cassie hit two today, and Angela followed with one, and that’s great to see. Cassie was very aggressive offensively and was looking to score and get rebounds. “As for Angela Healy, she’s been our rock all year long. She’s just been tough, tough, tough. They are one of the best post combinations in the GLVC, if not the best, and I don’t think I’m the only one who feels that way.” Nicole Chiodi added nine points and six rebounds for NKU, which is ranked No. 14 nationally in the NCAA Division II poll. Jessie Slack and Kendra Caldwell each scored eight points for the Norse, who extended their winning streak to four games and moved into a first-place tie with Indianapolis in the GLVC East Division. Chelsea Kilty led Kentucky Wesleyan with 11 points, and Whitney Waddell scored 10. The Panthers, however, found the inside attack of Brannen and Healy difficult to defend. And don’t forget that duo’s surprising 3-point shooting prowess, either. “It was exciting for us to show that we do have an outside game to go with the inside game,” Brannen said. Added Healy: “I just kind of threw that (3-pointer) up there. It’s fun to step out and hit a three every now and again.” In addition to its visit to Missouri-St. Louis on Thursday, NKU will also meet Missouri S&T (formerly Missouri-Rolla) on the road next Saturday. The, Rolla, Mo., institution officially changed its name earlier this month and is now Missouri University of Science & Technology. The Lady Miners (12-2 overall) are in first place in the GLVC West Division with a 6-1 record. Missouri S&T has won seven consecutive games.
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