Jan. 12, 2001

NKU PLAYS AT SAINT JOSEPH’S ON SATURDAY

Norse own 12 straight victories in series against Pumas

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University women’s basketball team is 11-1 after defeating Indiana-Purdue University at Fort Wayne, 80-65, Thursday night at Fort Wayne, Ind. NKU is 5-1 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Michelle Cottrell posted a double-double (14 points, 11 rebounds) to lead NKU past IPFW. The Norse are ranked No. 5 nationally in the Division II poll and No. 2 in the Great Lakes Region ratings. Southern Indiana, which snapped NKU’s 34-game winning streak last Saturday, is ranked No. 1 in the Great Lakes Region. The Lady Eagles, however, suffered an 80-72 loss at Quincy on Thursday and NKU can regain the regional No. 1 ranking with a victory on Saturday. IN THE GLVC: NKU has gone 50-4 in its last 54 games against GLVC opponents after Thursday’s win at IPFW. COTTRELL MOVES UP SCORING LIST: NKU junior forward Michelle Cottrell now ranks No. 6 on the Norse’s all-time scoring list with 1,404 career points. INJURY UPDATE: NKU senior guard Michele Tuchfarber sat out Thursday’s game against IPFW with a sprained ankle and is expected to miss Saturday’s contest at Saint Joseph’s. Tuchfarber, who has scored 1,369 career points, is NKU’s all-time career leader in three-pointers made with 143. She averages 12.9 points per game this season. FLANAGAN PROVIDES OFFENSIVE SPARK: NKU sophomore guard Bridget Flanagan started in place of the injured Tuchfarber Thursday night and tied her career high with 14 points against IPFW. Flanagan made a pair of three-pointers for the Norse and played 30 minutes. MOBLEY STEPS UP AGAINST IPFW: Sophomore forward Amy Mobley had her best performance of the season Thursday night with 16 points and seven rebounds against IPFW. It marked the fourth time this season Mobley has scored in double figures. ABOUT SJC: The Pumas are 1-11 after dropping a 68-52 decision to the University of Indianapolis Thursday night. Saint Joseph’s is 1-5 in the GLVC. Heather Allen leads Saint Joseph’s in scoring at 15.4 ppg. Allen is also the Pumas’ top rebounder at 8.7 rpg. Whitney Avery averages 10.9 ppg and is the Pumas’ only other double-figure scorer. THE LAST TIME AGAINST SJC: On Feb. 17, 2000, Michelle Cottrell scored 17 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as NKU defeated Saint Joseph’s, 100-75, in Regents Hall. Cottrell also became the first sophomore in Norse women’s basketball history to reach 1,000 career points in that game. Heather Livingstone scored 18 points and dished out seven assists for NKU, and Julie Cowens added 15 points. STREAK AGAINST SJC: The Norse own 12 consecutive victories over Saint Joseph’s going into Saturday’s game. NKU has not lost to Saint Joseph’s since the 1993-94 season, when the Pumas posted a 72-67 victory against the Norse at Rensselaer, Ind. NKU head coach Nancy Winstel is 12-0 against current Saint Joseph’s head coach Lynn Plett.