@NKUNorseWBB pushes No. 2 Louisville down the stretch before falling, 74-64

  • NKU athletics
    NKU athletics

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Northern Kentucky women’s basketball put up a valiant fight against Louisville, the No. 2 team in the nation, in a game that was scheduled just 24 hours ago. The Norse led midway through the third, but Louisville used a 14-point run to take control and then staved off a fourth-quarter challenge from Northern Kentucky in a 74-64 decision in favor of the Cardinals. NKU dips to 4-5 on the season, while UofL improves to 6-0.

 
STATS LEADERS 

  • Lindsey Duvall put in another fine performance for the Norse, scoring a game-high 20 points on 7-of-14 shooting. She also added seven rebounds.
  • Ivy Turner impacted the game in all facets, flirting with a triple-double after scoring eight points, grabbing a career-high nine rebounds and handing out a career-high seven assists.
  • Grayson Rose gave NKU a second double-figure scorer as the senior tallied 11 points and six rebounds.

TURNING POINT

  • Northern Kentucky took a 43-39 lead midway through the third quarter, but Louisville countered with 14-straight to take a 10-point advantage into the fourth.

FIRST HALF SUMMARY

  • The first quarter was a back-and-forth affair, featuring five ties and four lead changes. 
  • Louisville took a 15-11 advantage into the quarter break after closing the first on a 5-0 run.
  • NKU shot 28 percent (5-of-18) while U of L made 39 percent (7-of-18).
  • Kailey Coffey and Turner each corralled four boards to help Northern Kentucky outrebound Louisville 12-11.
  • The Norse outscored the Cardinals 18-16 in quarter No. 2 thanks to seven points from Lindsey Duvall. 
  • NKU converted 43 percent in the quarter and 34 percent in the half. UofL made 32 percent in the frame and 35 percent in the half.
  • Northern Kentucky’s 3-point defense held Louisville to just seven percent (1-of-14).
  • The Norse continued to be strong on the boards, holding a 24-23 advantage at half thanks to six each from Turner and Coffey. 

SECOND HALF SUMMARY

  • The teams traded baskets early in the third quarter, but the Norse used threes by Kennedy Igo and Duvall along with a Rose lay-in to grab a five-point lead, 41-36 at the midway point. 
  • Coffey scored a moment later to keep the Norse in front 43-39, but the Cardinals answered with the final 14 points of the quarter.
  • Louisville shot 50 percent (9-of-19) in the quarter, while Northern Kentucky made 41 percent (7-of-17).
  • The fourth quarter featured a flurry of short spurts, beginning with six-straight for the Norse and four quick points in response by the Cardinals. Another five came for Northern Kentucky that pulled it within three, 57-54. Eight-consecutive scores followed for Louisville to push things back out by double-figures before another four followed for NKU, which trailed by five, 64-69, with less than a minute to go.
  • Louisville sealed the game with the final five points, all coming at the charity stripe in the last 36 seconds.
  • While Louisville outshot Northern Kentucky 50 percent (16-of-32) to 34 percent (12-of-35), the Norse hit all nine free throw attempts. 

GAME NOTES

  • Duvall has now scored in double figures in each game this season and has reached the 20-point plateau three times, including the last two games.
  • Louisville entered the contest outscoring its foes by nearly 30 points per game, 89.8-60.4, and were dominant on the boards with a +13.2 rebound margin. The Norse lowered both of those averages after losing by just 10 and coming within four in the rebound battle, 45-41.
  • Coffey added eight points and eight boards to the Norse cause today. She has now moved into 10th all-time in rebounding at Northern Kentucky, passing Nancy Dickman, with 735 career boards. Today’s start was also the 100th of Coffey’s career.
  • NKU buried 13-of-14 free throws (93 percent) on Saturday afternoon, which was its best shooting effort at the stripe so far this season.