The Northern Kentucky Norse women’s basketball team (15-10, 9-7) has two of every category following the conclusion of its sixth Horizon League season series.
That is two sweeps, two splits and two times being swept with three chances at season sweeps remaining in its final four regular season games. Northern Kentucky concluded the Wisconsin portion of its schedule with an 81-71 win over the Milwaukee Panthers (8-16, 6-10) on Sunday.
“We want to be trending upwards as we’re moving to get closer to the tournament,” said Camryn Whitaker, Northern Kentucky head coach. “To be able to get a split on this road trip in the most difficult one we’ll have is good for our team. It’s always a tough game against both these teams. I’m happy with how we played. I wish we would have come out with a win at Green Bay (on Friday). But I thought our kids handled it well.”
Graduate student guard Lindsey Duvall hit a three-pointer 20 seconds into the second half to put Northern Kentucky up 40-37 and the Norse did not give it up on their way to the important league win. With Indiana University-Purdue University’s loss to Cleveland State on Saturday, the Norse moved one game back for fourth place and a potential home game in the Horizon League Tournament quarterfinals. IUPUI is 10-6 in league play and Milwaukee is tied for seventh with Oakland. Northern Kentucky has won eight of the last nine meetings against Milwaukee.
Duvall finished with a game-high 22 points to go with six rebounds and one steal. Duvall has eight 20-plus point games this year.
The Norse once again used their backcourt speed to overwhelm the Panthers. Senior guard Ivy Turner scored 19 points to go with three assists and one steal and sophomore point guard Kailee Davis had 14 points, four rebounds and two assists.
“Offensively, we didn’t really need to adjust (at halftime) because our team was playing well,” Whitaker said. “We had balanced scoring. When we can play like that offensively, shoot 50 percent, you’re not going to lose too many games.”
Graduate student center/forward Emmy Souder contributed 13 points, five rebounds and two blocks giving the Norse some inside-outside balance. She also had a big role making things did not get out of hand down low against the Milwaukee posts with two blocked shots.
“Milwaukee likes to go inside a lot,” Souder said. “I was trying to do my best in playing the low side trying to make their catches tough and also when (my teammates) were getting posted up trying to go help when I could to limit their paint points.”
The Panthers also put four players in double figures. Redshirt sophomore forward Grace Crowley finished with 19 points and redshirt freshman forward Anna Lutz came off the bench to score 16 with redshirt freshman forward Megan Walstad scoring 17 to go with eight rebounds. Sophomore guard Angie Cera added 11 points.
Milwaukee scored the game’s first five points and built its lead to 20-13 at one point in the first quarter before Turner made a three to trim it to 20-16 entering the second quarter. The Panthers increased it to 30-22 with 6:17 left in the first half on a Crowley score then 35-27 with 3:08 remaining in the half when Walstad scored.
But the Norse finished the half with a 7-0 run to tie the game at 37
Northern Kentucky used an 8-0 run to go up 58-47 with 2:55 left in the third quarter after a Duvall score. The Norse led 62-53 entering the fourth quarter.
The Norse led 69-56 with 7:01 left in the game when junior Kennedy Igo hit a jumper then Souder made a lay-up. But the Panthers scored seven straight to trim the lead to 69-63 with four minutes left before Souder drew a foul and made two free throws.
Milwaukee trimmed the lead to 77-71 with 37 seconds left then had the chance to cut into it more with a three-pointer, but missed and Mitchell-Steen grabbed the rebound. Turner made two free throws at the other end then Duvall made two more with 12 seconds left to make the final score.
“It’s no secret a lot of our losses this year have been very close games in single digits,” Whitaker said. “Down the stretch, I’m confident when our team steps to the line. The kids just came together. Like I told them at this time of the year, it’s going to be who executes better down the stretch. We were able to do that (Sunday). Milwaukee had its chances. But our kids just did a good job of keeping their composure and being able to maintain our lead throughout the entire second half.”
Northern Kentucky travels to Cleveland State on Thursday for a 7 p.m. game.
