One-point games have not gone well for the Northern Kentucky women’s basketball team (15-11, 9-8) this year.
The Norse fell to 0-3 in such games with a 57-56 loss at the Cleveland State Vikings (25-3, 15-2) on Thursday. The Norse missed a golden opportunity to tie Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis for the fourth seed in the Horizon League after IUPUI dropped a 57-48 game at Detroit Mercy on Thursday.
Trailing 55-53, sophomore guard Kailee Davis swished a three-pointer from the left wing with eight seconds left to put Northern Kentucky up 56-55. But after a timeout, Vikings junior standout guard Destiny Leo took the ball at the top of the key, drove right and drew a foul on Northern Kentucky graduate student center/forward Emmy Souder. Leo made both free throws with four seconds left to make the final score.
Davis tried a three at the other end from about the same spot. But Cleveland State graduate student guard Barbara Zieniewska blocked it allowing the Vikings to escape and split the regular season series.
Graduate student guard Lindsey Duvall led the Norse, scoring 27 points to go with seven rebounds and two steals with Davis scoring eight points to go with five assists and two rebounds. Duvall has nine 20-plus point games this year.
Sophomore guard Khamari Mitchell-Steen scored 11 points to go with five rebounds and one blocked shot. Mitchell-Steen has seven double-digit games this year.
Senior forward Tayah Irvin put up a nice defensive game with career-highs of 10 rebounds and nine blocks in 18 minutes of action. The nine blocks are also a season-high for the Horizon League in one game this year.
Cleveland State outrebounded Northern Kentucky, 49-38 including 22-11 on the offensive glass. The Vikings outscored the Norse, 18-6 in second-chance points.
Northern Kentucky made 34 percent of its shots including 23 percent from three-point range and 87 percent of its free throws. The Norse also had 16 fouls, 14 assists, 13 turnovers, 14 blocks and five steals.
Cleveland State made 31 percent of its shots including 39 percent from three-point range and 59 percent of its free throws to go with 14 fouls, 10 assists, 15 turnovers, eight blocks and eight steals. Leo finished with 17 points with senior forward Brittni Moore recording a double-double with 13 points and 16 rebounds. Senior forward Amele Ngwafang added nine points and 10 rebounds.
The Norse try to rebound Saturday at Purdue-Fort Wayne at 3 p.m.