One-point games haven’t been too kind to the Northern Kentucky University women’s basketball team.
They were 0-3 in such games during the regular season.
But in the postseason, they’re now 1-0.
Needing a play in the game’s final seconds, Lindsey Duvall saved the day.
The fifth-seeded Northern Kentucky University women’s basketball team (17-13) survived a near fourth quarter meltdown, Duvall’s layup with 3.3 seconds remaining giving the Norse a 58-57 victory at Youngstown State on Thursday in the Horizon League Conference tournament quarterfinals.
NKU built a 57-43 lead with 6:09 left in the game after senior guard Ivy Turner made two free throws. But the Norse offense went stagnant at that point allowing the fourth-seeded host Youngstown State Penguins (19-11) to take the lead when Megan Callahan hit a lay-up with eight seconds at 58-57.
Northern Kentucky called a timeout and set up a play for Duvall on the right side. Duvall drove baseline against Youngstown State junior guard Malia Magestro. But Magestro tried to draw a charge that came with no whistle, allowing Duvall to lay it in off the glass. Penguins senior guard Dena Jarrells put up a shot that caromed off the rim ending the game.
“We ran that play in practice and prepared for moments like that,” Duvall said. “(NKU assistant coach) Parker (Payne) drew it up. It was a great play by the coaches and we ran it how we were supposed to. Thankfully, we got a good, clean shot off it. I was just really happy. It was a total team win. Each possession mattered. During that six-minute drought, we still put ourselves in a good enough spot to win.”
The Norse are back in the Horizon League semifinals for the second time in Camryn Whitaker’s seven seasons as head coach. Northern Kentucky takes on the second-seeded Cleveland State (28-4) on Monday at 2:30 p.m. at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis. The Norse split the two meetings with the Vikings during the regular season.
“We’re just really excited for the win and for the opportunity to continue playing,” Whitaker said. “It’s March and crazy things happen. Youngstown’s a really good team. But I thought we were just well-prepared. Our coaching staff did a great job of getting the kids ready. We got a big lead and were executing the game plan. Youngstown did what good teams do (hitting) some big shots, some tough shots. It came down to the wire like it typically does in these games. I told the girls before the game we’re prepared for these type of situations. We’ve been in them all year. It’s our time.”
Duvall posted her 13th double-double of the season with 14 points and 10 rebounds to go with one assist. Duvall has scored in double-digits 26 times this year.
But everyone in the seven-player rotation made small contributions in the win scoring at least three points. Turner scored 14 points to go with four rebounds and two assists with sophomore guard Kailee Davis recording her first double-double of her collegiate career tallying 13 points, a team-high 11 rebounds and six assists.
Junior guard Kennedy Igo gave the Norse 30 minutes off the bench scoring seven points to go with five rebounds. Senior post Tayah Irvin added four points in relief of graduate student post Emmy Souder helping the Norse bench outscore Youngstown State, 11-7.
“I think all our bench players showed up (Thursday),” Turner said. “Coach (Whitaker) always says to be ready so when they came in, they helped us a lot.”
Youngstown State also put three players in double figures. All-Horizon League fifth-year forward Lilly Ritz had a double-double with 17 points and 21 rebounds. Jarrells scored 15 and Magestro added 10.
“We’ve done a great job all three times we’ve played them this year on (Ritz),” Whitaker said. “We held her to 12 points each the first two games. She made some good shots. Emmy (Souder) does a lot of things that don’t go noticed in the box score. She was battling all game against Ritz and Tayah (Irvin) came in and gave some good minutes to help out when we needed it. Also, our guards were doing a good job of being able to dig and not allow her to get anything easy. I think all but four of her points were very hard baskets. It was a total team effort. You don’t stop a player like that one-on-one.”
Both teams made 20 field goals. Northern Kentucky shot 34%, Youngstown State shooting 37%.
Neither team shot great from 3-point range. The Penguins made 6 of 27 from deep, 22 percent and 12 of 14 free throws for 86 percent to have a chance at the end. the Norse made 3 of 24 three-point shots. Both shot well from the free throw line, Youngstown 12-of-14 from the charity stripe, NKU 16-of-19.
Both teams had 38 rebounds. But Northern Kentucky had nine offensive rebounds to six for Youngstown State. The Norse outscored the Penguins, 13-6 off second-chance points.
Northern Kentucky had 11 fouls, 10 assists, 10 turnovers and six steals to 18 fouls, 10 assists, 13 turnovers and nine steals. Neither team blocked any shots.
Youngstown State led 14-12 after the first quarter. But the Norse seized the momentum late in the second quarter outscoring Youngstown State, 8-0 to go up 30-22 at halftime. Turner just beat the halftime buzzer with a jumper from the right side.
That momentum continued into the third quarter. The Norse built a 43-27 lead with 4:50 left after a Davis three. They took a 52-40 lead into the fourth quarter.
In the three one-point losses during the season, one of them for NKU was a 52-51 loss to the host Penguins on Jan. 28.
This marks the third appearance in the tournament semifinals for Northern Kentucky since joining the Horizon League in 2015. The Norse lost to Green Bay both times in 2016 (80-78 in overtime) and 2020 (50-49).
NORTHERN KENTUCKY — 12-18-22-7 — 59
YOUNGSTOWN STATE — 14-8-18-18 — 58
Northern Kentucky (59) – Duvall 14, Turner 14, Davis 13, Igo 7, Souder 4, Irvin 4, Mitchell-Steen 3
Youngstown State (58) – Ritz 17, Jarrells 15, Magestro 10, Callahan 6, Saunders 4, Shy 3, Aulbach 3