Northern Kentucky women’s basketball secured its first true road win of the 2016-17 season, taking down Horizon League foe Valparaiso in a 70-55 decision. The Norse move to 6-13 on the year and 2-5 in League play, and denied the Crusaders their first League win of the season, as Valpo drops to 5-14 (0-8 HL).
Stat Leaders
· Junior guard Mikayla Terry led the Norse in scoring with 21 points, the fourth 20-point game of her career. Terry also added seven rebounds and a team-best four steals.
· Senior forward Rebecca Lyttle recorded her second-straight double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. It is her fifth this season. Lyttle was also solid from the free throw line, going 7-of-9.
· Redshirt-freshman guard Taryn Taugher tied her career high set in NKU’s last game at Detroit Mercy, pouring in 14 points.
· Senior guard Kelley Wiegman was the fourth NKU player in double-digit scoring with 11 points.
First Half Summary
· NKU held a 31-26 lead at the half, marking the fifth time this season that the Norse have held the advantage after the first 20 minutes of play.
· The Norse outscored the Crusaders 19-11 in the first quarter, shooting 53.8 percent from the field led by a 4-of-4 performance from Terry with 11 points.
· NKU’s percentage dipped in the second quarter, as both the Norse and the Crusaders shot 35.7 percent. Valpo outscored NKU slightly, 15-12, thanks to extra trips to the charity stripe.
· After a tied effort in rebounding in the first quarter, Valpo had the edge on the boards in the second quarter, 12-8.
· NKU committed fewer turnovers than the Crusaders, 7-10, nabbing five steals in the opening half.
Second Half Summary
· Valpo managed to tie the contest at the 7:20 mark in the third quarter, 33-33, but NKU quickly reestablished a 40-35 lead that was retained through the remainder of the game.
· After a scoreless second quarter, Terry posted 10 points in the second half to reach the 20-point mark.
· Lyttle had a strong second half with 11 points and eight rebounds.
· NKU matched its second quarter in shooting percentage, going 5-of-14 from the field for 35.7 percent. The Norse ended the game with a 66.7 percent performance in the fourth quarter, also going 11-of-15 from the free throw line to extend the lead and seal the win.
Norse Notes
· NKU now leads the all-time series with Valpo, 3-1.
· The Norse are 5-0 this year when leading at the half. The win was also the first true road win of the season.
· NKU shot 46.0 percent from the field, holding Valpo to 35.1 percent. NKU has shot higher than its opponent in both League wins.
· Despite winning by 15 points, the Crusaders held the advantage in the paint, 30-26, and in points off turnovers, 17-10.
· The Norse out-rebounded Valpo 36-34, with a 12-9 advantage in the final quarter.
Up Next
· NKU makes the short trip west to the Windy City to play UIC on Sunday afternoon in Chicago. Tipoff against the Flames is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT/4 p.m. ET, with a live broadcast on the ESPN3 platform. Fans can watch the game live on computers, tablets and smart phones through WatchESPN and the ESPN App.
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Chloe Smith
Assistant Athletic Communications Director
Northern Kentucky University