Northern Kentucky women’s basketball hosts IUPUI on Friday, Jan. 19. Tip-off is slated for 5 p.m. ET and the game will be broadcast on ESPN3 with live streaming available on computers, tablets, smart phones and streaming devices through WatchESPN and the ESPN App.
Northern Kentucky (4-13, 2-4 HL) vs. IUPUI (13-4, 5-1 HL)
Friday, Jan. 19- 7 p.m. ET
Highland Heights, Ky. – BB&T Arena
Live Stats | ESPN3 Broadcast
LAST TIME OUT: The Norse fell to Cleveland State by five points on Monday evening after CSU’s Khayla Livingston had a 7-for-14 night from 3-point range to put the Vikings just out of reach. Grace White scored a career-best 18 points in the setback, as did Molly Glick off a career 5-for-8 showing from long range. Kailey Coffey also recorded her first career double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
SCOUTING IUPUI: The Jaguars have certainly made themselves right at home since joining the Horizon League and are tied for first in the league with Green Bay and Wright State, sporting a 5-1 league record and 13-4 overall. IUPUI has a balance of putting up points and keeping opponents from doing the same, ranking second in the league in scoring offense (72.2 ppg) and third in scoring defense (59.7 ppg), which equates to the No. 45 scoring margin nationally. The Jaguars are also the most efficient club in the league with a 44.9 shooting percentage. Since entering league play, the Jaguars have become the top scoring team in the league, not far off their overall average at 71.3 ppg at a .459 clip, and have upped their defensive presence by holding teams to 56.5 ppg. In addition to buckets, the Jaguars are holding league opponents to just 25.7 rebounds a game and hold the highest rebounding margin at +12.6.
Individually, the senior-freshman tandem of Danielle Lawrence and Macee Williams has been averaging 29.0 ppg at a .604 clip in league play, with Williams leading the Horizon with a .763 field goal percentage. Lawrence, a two-time First Team All-Summit League honoree, has also established herself as a threat from beyond the arc, averaging 1.88 3-pointers a game while Sydney Hall is just ahead of that mark with 2.00 triples a contest.
NKU has a rich history against the Jaguars and hold an 18-1 all-time advantage in the series. The series contains just two meetings since NKU transitioned to Division I, and those contests have been split with IUPUI taking an 86-63 win in Indianapolis on Dec. 18, 2013, while NKU returned the favor with a 57-43 victory on its home court on Dec. 30, 2014.
SIXTH MAN STRONG: Redshirt-sophomore Taryn Taugher has provided vital energy for the Norse coming off the bench, especially since entering Horizon League play. In the past six games, Taugher is second on the team in scoring with 10.7 ppg and is the league’s most efficient 3-point shooter with 7-of-14 triples made. Taugher is also putting up strong numbers overall from the field at 44.7 percent, and is third in free-throw percentage at .852 off of 23-for-27 from the charity stripe. The Michigan native led the Norse in scoring against No. 19/20 Green Bay and Detroit Mercy, and was just shy of a double-double in the following game against Oakland.
ROOKIES IN THE RANKS: NKU has had some key performances from its freshman class, which has come in to contribute right away. Two rookies help lead the team in rebounding (Kailey Coffey – 6.5 rpg; Grace White – 4.8 rpg) to keep the Norse at a +4.7 rebounding margin over opponents, a number that ranks fifth in the Horizon League. Coffey has the 11th-highest rebounding average in the Horizon League, and sits at fifth in the League with 2.8 offensive rpg. Since entering League play, Coffey has been averaging 10.7 points at a .525 clip, a shooting percentage that ranks among the League’s top performers. White has also upped her play since entering the Horizon League season, especially with her 3-point shooting. Prior to the start of league play, White was connecting at a .231 clip from long range with just three 3-pointers made. Since Dec. 28, White has gone 5-for-11 from beyond the arc for a .455 clip, good for fourth in the Horizon League. Additionally, Jazmyne Geist and Samari Mowbray have contributed well on the defensive end, sitting at 12th (1.6) and 13th (1.5) in the league in steals per game, respectively.
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Chloe Smith
Assistant Athletic Communications Director
Northern Kentucky University
