HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - Sharell Snardon’s basket with 1.2 seconds remaining in the game Saturday night gave Northern Kentucky University a 63-62 victory over Bellarmine University in Regents Hall.
Bellarmine took a 62-61 lead with 6.6 seconds left when Kellie Peyton made a 12-foot jumper. After a timeout, NKU’s Nikki Perkins received the inbound pass, and she spotted Connie Myers streaking down the right sideline.
Myers passed ahead to an open Snardon, who beat her defender, dribbled in and converted a layup with 1.2 seconds left on the clock.
Bellarmine’s Princess Wimsatt threw up a desperation 50-footer at the buzzer, but the shot was short and NKU escaped with the victory.
Snardon and Myers each scored 17 points to lead NKU, which rallied from a 13-point deficit in the first half. The Norse shot 53.8 percent from the field in the second half to rally for the win.
Elizabeth Burrows added 10 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds for NKU, which improved to 13-5 overall, 8-4 in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Lyndsey Neal led Bellarmine (12-7 overall, 8-5 GLVC) with 18 points and 13 rebounds.
Bellarmine jumped out to a 32-19 lead in the first half, but NKU used an 8-2 run to close within 34-27 at the break. The second half featured 12 lead changes, but Bellarmine held a 56-51 lead with 5:12 remaining after Lynne Johnson’s inside basket.
A three-pointer by Karmen Graham sliced the Bellarmine lead to 56-54, but Neal countered with a basket to give the Knights a 58-54 advantage with 3:34 left on the clock. Burrows, however, responded by draining a three-pointer to bring NKU within 58-57.
Snardon gave NKU a 61-60 lead with 45 seconds remaining when she hit a short jumper while being fouled. She missed the free throw, however, and Neal grabbed the rebound for Bellarmine.
Wimsatt missed a jumper with 16 seconds left, and Burrows chased down the rebound. She was tied up by two Bellarmine defenders, and the possession arrow favored the Knights. That set the stage for Peyton, who hit a 12-foot jumper to give Bellarmine a 62-61 advantage.
NKU held Shanta Bowens - who entered Saturday averaging 16 points per game - scoreless in 29 minutes of play. The Norse limited Bellarmine to just 39.4 percent shooting from the field in the second half and won despite making 7-of-16 free throws.
NKU will hit the road next week and play at the University of Southern Indiana at 6:15 p.m. Thursday in Evansville, Ind. The Norse will conclude the two-game road trip Saturday with a 2 p.m. game at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
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Sharell Snardon |