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HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - A game-ending 10-2 run helped Drury rally past Northern Kentucky University, 55-52, in a battle of nationally ranked teams Saturday in Regents Hall. NKU held a 50-45 lead with 3:22 remaining after Nicole Chiodi’s layup, but Drury responded with a 6-0 run to take a 51-50 advantage. Jessie Slack converted a baseline drive for a basket with 1:40 left to give NKU a 52-51 lead, but those would be the final points for the Norse. “We were up 50-45 and they went on that run and made the plays, and we didn’t,” NKU head coach Nancy Winstel said. “You have to make plays throughout the course of the game. We held them to 55 points, but they had 42 with about four minutes left, which was great for a team that averages in the 70s. “The last four minutes of the game, I didn’t think we made any stops. It’s a 40-minute game, and Drury is good enough that if you give them that opportunity, they’re going to take advantage of it.” Lindsay Ballweg made a jumper with 27 seconds left to put Drury ahead, 53-52. After Danyelle Echoles missed a 3-pointer on NKU’s next possession, Becky Flippin was fouled and converted both free throws to extend Drury’s lead to 55-52. Slack was called for an offensive foul with five seconds remaining, and Drury appeared to have wrapped up the victory. Echoles, however, stole the Drury inbounds pass and NKU had a final chance. The junior guard drove in after the steal and missed a close-in shot that Drury knocked out of bounds with 0.4 on the clock. NKU was unable to get off a shot before the buzzer sounded, and Drury escaped with the win. Molly Carter scored 20 points for Drury, which is ranked No. 3 in the NCAA Division II poll. The Lady Panthers improved to 10-2 overall, 2-2 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. “I thought that Molly Carter really picked it up late in the game and really showed why she is one of the best players in the GLVC,” Winstel said. “Their guard play of Flippin and Carter is just really exceptional.”
Slack led NKU (9-3 overall, 2-2 GLVC) with 15 points, and Cassie Brannen added 14 points. The Norse, ranked 15th nationally, shot just 3-for-18 from 3-point range and converted only 53.8 percent of their free throws. Angela Healy added nine points and 10 rebounds, but the Drury zone defense contained NKU’s inside attack most of the game. The senior center attempted just six shots the entire game before fouling out with 10 seconds remaining. “I felt like it was more of my role to be a passer in this game, and get the ball to Cassie and our guards, so they could step up and hit some shots,” said Healy, who dished out five assists and blocked three shots. “Obviously, we’re more fired up when we play Drury because of the rivalry that we’ve created, but it’s kind of the same thing; just try to play NKU basketball.” Flippin scored 13 points for Drury, which is now 3-2 all-time against NKU and 2-0 in Regents Hall. Melanie Oliver added 10 points and eight rebounds for the Lady Panthers, who made only 30.8 percent of their shots from the field. Chiodi grabbed 10 rebounds and had four assists for NKU, which committed 24 turnovers. Slack finished with eight rebounds and three assists. “I feel like it was one of our best efforts of the year, but you still have to play 40 minutes, and we didn’t,” Winstel said. “Right now, we don’t have a lot of depth on our bench so we’re asking seven kids or eight kids to give us very good play. We need to make plays, and we have to make the open looks, then we will be OK.” Healy has now scored 945 career points and should join the NKU 1,000-point club in the next two weeks. The two most recent members of the NKU 1,000-point club, former standouts Karmen Graham and Karyn Creager, were recognized following the game and presented basketballs commemorating their accomplishments. Graham (1,088 points) and Creager (1,035 points) each reached 1,000 career points last season. Graham also finished No. 7 all-time in Norse history in field-goal percentage at .509 and No. 3 all-time in free-throw percentage (.818). Creager ended her career as NKU’s all-time career leader in free-throw percentage (.879) and owns the school record with 34 consecutive makes from the line. NKU hits the road Thursday to meet Indianapolis at 5:30 p.m. in Nicoson Hall.
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