Northern Kentucky women’s basketball denied Horizon League foe Detroit Mercy its first win, taking down the Titans on the road, 78-67. With the win, NKU moves to 2-1 in the League slate, while UDM drops to 0-3.
STAT LEADERS
Taryn Taugher led the Norse in scoring for the second-straight game, shooting above 50 percent from the field, 60 percent from beyond the arc, and was a flawless 6-for-6 from the free throw line for 19 points. Taugher also added a team-high two steals.
Kailey Coffey improved on her career scoring mark with 17 points and was one of four Norse to register three assists, along with Jazmyne Geist, Mikayla Terry and Grace White.
Molly Glick and Geist also reached double figures at 11 and 10 points, respectively, while Geist tied Grayson Rose for the team lead in rebounds with a career-best seven boards. Rose also contributed defensively with three blocks.
FIRST HALF SUMMARY
The Norse took control early, shooting over 62.5 percent through the first six minutes to hold a 15-9 lead.
The Titans started to build momentum with a buzzer-beating triple to get within 18-16, and held steady with the Norse through the first five minutes of the second quarter with just a point’s deficit, 26-25.
However, the Norse turned on the jets and ended the half on an 18-6 run, shooting 75.0 percent for the second quarter on 9-of-12 from the field, to hold a 44-31 edge at the half.
NKU showcased a balanced offense, with six players recording six or more points. Taugher paced the charge with nine points, while Coffey, Geist and White added seven apiece. Glick and Terry led the team from long range with two 3-pointers on three attempts each, including a buzzer-beating trey from Terry.
SECOND HALF SUMMARY
The Norse cruised ahead to a 58-36 lead in the third quarter, but were out-scored in the fourth thanks to a 14-point explosion from Anja Marinkovic fueled by four 3-pointers on six attempts.
Coffey had 10 of her points in the half, while Taugher chipped in eight to lead the Norse in scoring.
NORSE NOTES
NKU moves to 2-3 in the all-time series against Detroit Mercy.
The Norse out-rebounded the Titans, 36-33, and had a 26-10 advantage in the paint.
NKU also had the edge on bench points, 29-17, and points off turnovers, 13-4.
The Norse shot 46.0 percent from the field, including 45.0 percent from 3-point range on 9-of-20 shooting, and assisted on 14 of their 23 field goals. NKU also stayed consistent in free throw shooting, sinking 23 of 28 attempts.
UP NEXT
The Norse remain in the Detroit metro area to wrap up their road trip, taking on Oakland at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 6. The game will be broadcast on ESPN3 with streaming available on computers, tablets, smart phones and streaming devices through WatchESPN and the ESPN App.
#TakeNotice
Chloe Smith
Assistant Athletic Communications Director
Northern Kentucky University
