Jan. 11, 2000
NKU TO MEET QUINCY ON THURSDAY
Norse (8-2) now ranked No. 11 nationally after loss to Bellarmine
HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University women’s basketball team dropped to 8-2 on Saturday after losing to Bellarmine College, 76-72, in Regents Hall. NKU is now 3-1 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
NKU built an 18-point lead (27-9) in the first half against Bellarmine, but the Knights used a 12-0 spurt late in the game to rally for the victory. Rachel Young sealed the win for Bellarmine by hitting a short jumper in the last seconds to give the Knights a 76-72 lead.
NKU is now ranked No. 11 nationally in the WBCA Division II ratings. The Norse were ranked No. 6 in the nation prior to the loss to Bellarmine.
NKU will play host to Quincy University this Thursday at 5:30 p.m. in Regents Hall, and then meet the University of Missouri-St. Louis on Saturday at 1 p.m. in Regents Hall.
Sophomore forward Michelle Cottrell scored 22 points and grabbed eight rebounds against Bellarmine. Cottrell continues to lead the Norse in scoring (18.1 points per game), rebounding (8.9 rpg), and she ranks No. 2 on the team in field goal percentage (57.5 percent). Cottrell also has 21 steals and five blocked shots.
Freshman center Kristin Polosky came off the bench Saturday and scored a career-high 16 points for NKU. Polosky made all five of her field goal attempts against Bellarmine, and she was perfect (6 of 6) from the free throw line. Polosky averages 8.4 ppg, and she is shooting 52 percent from the field.
Junior guard Heather Livingstone, who ranks No. 2 in the nation in three-point percentage (.551), averages 14.1 ppg and leads NKU in both assists (35) and steals (25). Livingstone also has made a team-leading 27 three-pointers, and she averages 3.2 rebounds per game.
Junior guard Michele Tuchfarber averages 13.9 ppg, and she has made 42.3 percent of her three-point attempts. Tuchfarber has scored 915 career points and is looking to become just the 17th player in NKU women’s basketball history to reach 1,000 career points.
MOBLEY’S BLOCKS: NKU freshman forward Amy Mobley has emerged as the team’s top shot-blocker with 18 rejections in 10 games, and she ranks No. 3 in the GLVC in that category (1.80 bpg). Mobley is also No. 2 on the team in rebounding at 7.0 rebounds per game, and she averages 5.3 ppg.
FLANAGAN FROM LONG RANGE: NKU freshman guard/forward Bridget Flanagan has proven to be an effective three-point shooter this season. Flanagan has connected on 11 of 23 three-point attempts for 47.8 percent.
ABOUT QUINCY: The Hawks are 4-7 overall (0-5 in the GLVC) after losing at Southern Indiana, 58-47, on Saturday. USI won the game despite shooting just 25.4 percent from the field, but the Lady Eagles forced 31 turnovers by Quincy.
Quincy features junior center Colleen Sexton, who averages 14.5 ppg. Sexton is shooting 49.6 percent from the field, and she averages a team-leading 8.0 rebounds per contest.
Freshman forward Jill Unnerstall averages 12.9 ppg and 7.8 rpg. Unnerstall is shooting 54.6 percent from the field, and she leads the team with five blocked shots. Junior forward Katie McAlinden averages 9.6 ppg, and sophomore guard Heather Hall is scoring 9.5 ppg.
THE LAST TIME: NKU defeated Quincy, 65-53, on Feb. 18, 1999, at Quincy, Ill. Michelle Cottrell scored 17 points in that game, and Jessica Jenson added 14 points. NKU also won the first meeting of last season with the Hawks by a 74-48 score in Regents Hall. Michele Tuchfarber scored 18 points to lead the Norse in that contest.
NKU owns a 7-0 lead in the all-time series with Quincy.