HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The Northern Kentucky University women’s basketball team will play host to Quincy University at 1 p.m. this Saturday in Regents Hall in the Great Lakes Valley Conference opener for both squads.
NKU is 1-1 after posting an 86-52 win at the University of Findlay last Saturday. The Norse are the preseason favorite in the GLVC coaches poll, while Quincy is picked No. 2 in the poll.
NKU will also play host to the University of Missouri-St. Louis at 5:30 p.m. next Monday (Dec. 2) in Regents Hall.
NKU WINS BIG GAME AT FINDLAY: Connie Myers scored a career-high 20 points Saturday as NKU defeated Findlay, 86-52, at the Findlay Tip-Off Tournament.
Myers, a sophomore forward, made 10 of 14 field goal attempts and also added five assists. Jessica Brock came off the bench and added a career-high 15 points and nine rebounds in that game for the Norse.
NKU built a 40-29 halftime lead by shooting 51.7 percent from the field. Kristin Polosky scored all 11 of her points in the first half, and Brock had eight points during the first 20 minutes.
In the second half, Myers scored 14 points as NKU coasted past the Oilers (1-4). Bridget Flanagan added 11 points for NKU, and Amy Mobley finished with 10 points. Mobley now has 902 career points, while Flanagan enters this weekend with 852 career points.
OFF TO A TORRID START: NKU junior guard/forward Jessica Brock has made all five of her three-point attempts this season, and she is shooting 70 percent from the field. Brock averages 10.5 points per game, and she leads the team in rebounding at 7.5 rebounds per contest.
THE COMEBACK IS COMPLETE: NKU’s Connie Myers, who missed the second half of her freshman year after suffering a season-ending knee injury, made an impressive comeback last week. She is averaging a team-leading 17.0 ppg and also is grabbing 6.0 rebounds per contest.
Myers, who has made 53.1 percent of her shots from the field, was also named to the All-Tournament Team at Findlay last weekend.
IMMEDIATE IMPACT: NKU freshman forward Sharell Snardon averages 11.0 ppg and 6.0 rpg. She scored 13 points in her collegiate debut against Grand Valley State University last week and is shooting 75 percent from the field. Snardon also has four steals.
BURROWS MAKES THE POINT: NKU sophomore point guard Elizabeth Burrows enters this weekend averaging 5.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.
ABOUT QUINCY: The Lady Hawks are 2-1 after posting a 95-58 victory over Culver-Stockton College on Tuesday night. Quincy is led by senior forward Jill Unnerstall, who averages 11.7 ppg and 6.0 rpg. Unnerstall, who scored her 1,000th career point last weekend, is shooting 85.7 percent from the free throw line.
The Hawks also feature junior guard Tiffany Kelver, who averages 12.0 ppg and 5.7 rpg. Junior wing Lisa Farrell is scoring 12.0 ppg and leads the team in assists (4.0 apg).
Quincy has defeated Michigan Tech University this season. The Lady Hawks’ only loss is to Hillsdale (Mich.) College.
A YEAR AGO AGAINST QUINCY: NKU won both games last season, taking a 60-53 decision at Quincy, Ill., on Jan. 3, and later completing the sweep with a 75-58 win at Highland Heights, Ky., on Feb. 23.
In the first game last season, Michelle Cottrell scored 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds to lead NKU. Kristin Polosky added 14 points for the Norse, while Dana Schubeler scored 13 points and finished with six rebounds. The Norse shot 46.8 percent from the field and limited Quincy to 31 percent shooting.
NKU built a 31-18 halftime lead by shooting 59.1 percent from the field. The Norse also shut down the Quincy offense by holding the Lady Hawks to just 22.2 percent shooting from the field in the first half.
In the rematch at NKU, Cottrell scored 22 points in her final home game to lead the Norse. Cottrell made 8 of 11 shots from the field as the Norse clinched the GLVC regular-season title.
NKU built a 30-19 halftime lead by holding Quincy to just 27.3 percent shooting from the field. Cottrell scored 16 points in the first half.
Bridget Flanagan added 14 points for the Norse, and Suzie Smith finished with 12 points. Dana Schubeler scored 11 points and finished with five rebounds. NKU won the rebounding battle by a 42-36 margin and held Quincy to 11.1 percent shooting from three-point range.
Jessica Brock