Northern Kentucky women’s basketball returns home after picking up its first two true road wins of the season to host Horizon League opponent Oakland on Friday, Jan. 27.
Tipoff from BB&T Arena is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET, with a live broadcast on ESPN3 with Rich Hidy and Karmen Graham on the call for the Norse. Fans can stream Friday’s contest live on computers, tablets and smart phones via WatchESPN and the ESPN App.
Game Information
Northern Kentucky (7-13, 3-5 HL) vs. Oakland (10-9, 4-4 HL)
Friday, Jan. 27 – 7 p.m. ET
Highland Heights, Ky. – BB&T Arena
LAST TIME OUT: NKU made it two road wins in a row after a dominant victory over UIC on Jan. 22, 58-37, marking the second time this season that the Norse had a 20+ point margin of victory. The 37 points allowed by NKU also mark the lowest point total scored by an opponent this season with a season-low field goal percentage of .298. Junior forward Kasey Uetrecht led the charge against the Flames, scoring a season-high 24 points backed by four 3-pointers.
Senior forward Rebecca Lyttle also had a strong showing with 13 points, going 5-of-6 from the field and 3-of-3 from the free throw line, coupled with eight rebounds. Another balanced effort was seen from junior guard Mikayla Terry stuffing the stat sheet with eight assists, seven points, seven rebounds, three steals and two blocks.
SCOUTING OAKLAND: The Golden Grizzlies hold a 10-9 record entering Friday’s contest, and are split down the middle against Horizon League competition at 4-4. Oakland’s wins in League action have been predictable with victories over UIC, Valparaiso and Youngstown State, which all sit at the bottom of the standings, but the Golden Grizzlies did show grit on the road at Milwaukee, where Oakland secured a 75-73 win over the Panthers.
Sophomore guard Taylor Jones has led the Golden Grizzlies in scoring this season with 15.4 points per game, but has missed out on Oakland’s last two games for undisclosed reasons. Senior forward Hannah Little is productive for the team on both ends of the court, averaging a double-double on the season with 11.2 ppg and 11.9 rebounds per game, also pacing the team with 3.5 steals and 1.1 blocks a game. Her numbers are also some of the best in the League, with Little leading all players in rebounding and steals.
As a team, the Golden Grizzlies have the top scoring offense in the Horizon League and 22nd in the nation at 77.1 ppg. Oakland is also the top team in the League in rebounds per game (41.8), steals per game (11.9) and turnovers forced (19.8), all of which rank in the top-40 nationally. However, in League play, the Golden Grizzlies have been winning by a slim margin of 2.1 ppg, but have remained near the top in their signature statistical categories.
NKU and Oakland have met eight times in the history of the two programs, with the Golden Grizzlies holding a 5-3 advantage in the all-time series. The series was renewed after more than 15 years of hiatus upon NKU joining the Horizon League in 2015-16. The Norse claimed both games last season, winning 75-71 on the road before an 80-64 victory inside BB&T Arena.
Three-game road swing for NKU men starts at UIC
The midway point of the Horizon League slate arrives this weekend for the Northern Kentucky University men’s basketball team, as the Norse embark on a three-game road trip that opens in Chicago with UIC on Friday, Jan. 27.
Game Information
Northern Kentucky University Norse (13-8 Overall, 4-4 Horizon League)
University of Illinois at Chicago “UIC” Flames (11-9 Overall, 4-3 Horizon League)
Friday, Jan. 27 – 8:00 p.m. (ET)/7:00 p.m. (CT)
UIC Pavilion (8,000) in Chicago
TV: ESPN3 with Jonathan Hood (play-by-play) and Sam Panayotovich (analysis)
Radio: ESPN1530 (1530 AM) with Andrew Kappes (play-by-play) and Steve Moeller (analysis)
Fast Break Points
• NKU claimed an impressive 101-87 victory over Detroit Mercy on Sunday, tallying the most points ever against a Division I opponent.
• In the second half versus the Titans, the Norse scored 60 points thanks to a whopping 77.3 percent (17-of-22) shooting, including 3-for-3 from long distance, and 85 percent (23-of-27) at the line.
• NKU plays at UIC Friday night, with the series tied at one apiece after both teams held serve on its home court last season.
• NKU sits at 13-8 on the year, tying its Division I-era record for wins (13) set in the 2014-15 season as a member of the Atlantic Sun.
• The 70-point plateau is key for NKU this year. Northern Kentucky is 13-3 when scoring at least 70 points and 9-1 when holding opponents to 70 or fewer points.
• NKU is also one of the top 3-point shooting teams in the nation, ranking No. 56 with 178 made threes.
• G Mason Faulkner exploded for a career-high 29 points, including 23 in the second half, in NKU’s 101-87 win over Detroit Mercy.
• Faulkner has now reached the 20-point plateau twice and is averaging 7.3 ppg on the season. In League only games, his scoring average elevates to 13.5 ppg.
• F Drew McDonald leads NKU in scoring (16.8 ppg) and rebounds (8.1 rpg). In Horizon League play, his averages swell to 18.3 points and 9.0 rebounds per game, which rank fourth and third in the League, respectively.
• McDonald’s nine double-doubles are the most by a Norse in a season in at least the last 11 years.
• F Carson Williams, a two-time Horizon League Freshman of the Week honoree, registered his third double-double of the season with 13 points and 10 rebounds against Detroit Mercy. He is third on the team in scoring at 11.3 ppg and second in rebounding (6.3 rpg).
• G Lavone Holland II is second in scoring at 14.3 ppg, but leads the team in assists (3.8 apg).
• F Cole Murray ranks among the nation’s top 3-point shooters, checking in at No. 20 with 63 made threes this year. He is also 34th in 3-point field-goal percentage (41.7).