HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - During the first half of play Saturday night, it seemed like old times in Regents Hall for the Northern Kentucky University women’s basketball program.
Michelle Cottrell and Julie Cowens were dominating the inside, as evidenced by their combined 23 points and nine rebounds at the break. Michele Tuchfarber had dished out three assists, while Kristin Polosky scored four points and blocked a shot before intermission.
As a result, the 2000 NKU national championship squad trailed the current NKU team by just a 35-33 score at halftime, and it appeared Cottrell, Cowens and company had a realistic chance at winning the exhibition contest against the 2004-05 team.
But reality - and some torrid outside shooting by NKU - set in on the 2000 national champions in the second half. The 2004-05 Norse used a 20-3 run in the second half and shot 61.5 percent from the field after halftime to roll to an 82-50 win over the 2000 national champions.
Nikki Perkins paced NKU with 17 points on 5-for-6 shooting from three-point range. The Norse connected on 12 three-point shots in 20 attempts, including 6-for-8 shooting in the second half.
Connie Myers scored 15 points for NKU, while Karmen Graham added 13 points and seven rebounds. Karyn Creager chipped in 12 points for the Norse, who forced 21 turnovers.
After Tuchfarber made a pair of free throws to tie the score at 39-39 with 17:46 left in the game, NKU ran off a 20-3 spurt to take a 59-42 lead. Creager, Perkins, Graham and Betsey Clark each drained three-pointers during the run, while Myers added a pair of inside baskets.
Cowens finished with 19 points to lead the 2000 national champions, while Cottrell added 13 points and 13 rebounds. The 2000 national champions, however, shot just 25 percent from the field in the second half.
NKU opens its regular-season schedule at 7 p.m. Tuesday against Georgetown (Ky.) College in Regents Hall.
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Michelle Cottrell (left), Angela Healy |