Northern Kentucky University seniors Courtney Roush and Christine Roush were firing on all cylinders on Thursday night, combining for 51 points to lead the Norse women’s basketball team to an 81-60 win over Detroit at BB&T Arena.
Courtney Roush finished with a career-high 29 points on 11-of-18 shooting and seven rebounds. Christine Roush followed up with 24 points, including 20 in the first half, draining four three-pointers along the way.
Rebecca Lyttle posted her third double-double of the season with 11 points and a team-high 11 rebounds as the Norse shot a blistering 51.8 percent from the field.
With the win, NKU improved to 15-9 overall and 7-6 in Horizon League play.
Christine Roush jumped out of the gate early with eight points in the game’s first five minutes as NKU took an early 11-7 lead. Courtney Roush got in the mix after the media break, adding another eight points as the Norse shot 64.3 percent (9-for-14) from the field in the period to take a 25-22 lead after 10 minutes.
A 14-4 Norse run in the middle portion of the second quarter, with 12 of those points scored by the Roush twins, pushed NKU’s lead to double digits, as NKU claimed a 25-8 scoring edge in the quarter to go into the locker room with a 50-30 lead.
NKU maintained the advantage through the second half, extending the lead to as many as 26 points with 5:26 to go in the fourth quarter. The Norse dominated on the boards, outrebounding Detroit by a 37-29 margin, and cruised to the big win.
Rosanna Reynolds led Detroit with 18 points, six rebounds and four assists, while Lola Ristowski added 13 points. The Titans shot 37.9 percent from the field and knocked down six treys.
NKU, winners of five of their last six games, look to keep the momentum rolling when they close this three-game home stand on Sunday against Oakland. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. with the action carried live on ESPN3.
NORSE NOTES
— Courtney Roush’s 29 points matched a Division I single-game high for the Norse, set by her sister, Christine Roush, on Dec. 15, 2014 against Marquette.
— Shar’Rae Davis dished out four of NKU’s 14 assists on the night, her most prolific passing performance since a five-assist night against Green Bay on Jan. 21.
— NKU surpassed the 50 percent shooting mark for the sixth time this season, and the second time in Horizon League play. The Norse shot 58 percent in a win at Youngstown State on Jan. 30, the highest shooting percentage in a League game this season.
From NKU Athletics