Molly Glick turned in a career effort with 18 points as the Northern Kentucky University women’s basketball team advanced to the semifinals of the Horizon League Championship with a 76-53 win over Valparaiso on Friday night.
Glick added six rebounds, four assists and three steals while shooting 8-for-14 from the field. Kasey Uetrecht also posted an 18-point night while Molly Fransosn added 11 points off the bench. As a team, the Norse (19-12) shot 46.2 percent (30-for-65) and drained seven three-pointers.
NKU is set to take on the host and No. 1 seed Green Bay in Saturday’s semifinal showdown. Tipoff is set for 4 p.m. Eastern with the action carried live on ESPN3.
Jasmyn Walker and Dani Franklin each posted 11 points for the Crusaders, who finished their season at 10-21.
The Norse stifled the Valpo shooters early, opening the game on an 8-0 run as Valpo went 0-for-5 and committed four turnovers over the first six minutes of the game. NKU continued the pressure, racing out to a 14-5 lead en route to an eight-point advantage at the quarter break, at 19-11.
NKU allowed just two Valpo field goals in the second quarter as Kasey Uetrecht came up with nine of her 18 points in the frame. The Norse went into halftime on a 12-2 run over the final 6:40 of the period to take a 40-19 lead to intermission.
Both teams made adjustments and came out of the break on fire, as the Norse went 10-for-18 from the floor in the third quarter, including six straight keyed by seven points from Franson. But Valpo kept pace with a 9-for-18 showing of their own as NKU owned a 23-point advantage after 30 minutes at 63-40.
The Norse used the fourth quarter to rest some of their regulars as NKU cruised to the victory.
NORSE NOTES
· Rebecca Lyttle claimed a team-high six rebounds as well, as the Norse won the battle of the boards, 37-33.
· The Norse forced 18 turnovers, 12 of them steals, and scored 20 points off turnovers while committing just seven of their own, surrendering no points on their own miscues.
· Uetrecht went 8-for-9 from the field, marking her best shooting performance of the season and her best since going 11-for-12 against Marshall on March 19, 2015.
From NKU Athletics