Two games into the season, the Northern Kentucky Lady Norse have faced Conference USA champion Middle Tennessee State and No. 22 ranked-Kentucky. The gauntlet early season schedule continued Sunday as NKU traveled to Sun Belt champion Marshall. The Norse left with an 80-78 dramatic win over the Thundering Herd on a three-pointer from senior Macy Blevins with 1.2 seconds left.
The Lady Norse started out a little slow, not allowing the Herd to get too far ahead, due in part to eight points from senior Halle Idowu, who kept NKU in the game early. NKU trailed 20-15 after one period.
The second quarter was a much different story for the Lady Norse as they outscored Marshall 36-19 to take a 51-38 lead into the locker room. NKU’s lead was helped in part by another strong quarter from Idowu who chipped in nine more points as well as a strong shooting performance by Charleston, WV native Kalissa Lacy who dropped in nine points. The Lady Norse finished the first half on an 11-0 run and had all the momentum.
Marshall came out of the locker room and slowly chipped away at the Lady Norse lead closing to within 56-49 with 6:02 remaining in the quarter and forcing an NKU timeout.
Marshall eventually was able to take their first lead since the first quarter on a three pointer by Aislynn Hayes to put the Herd up 64-63 with thirty-five seconds remaining. A Mya Meredith jumper with nineteen seconds left put NKU up 65-64 heading to the fourth quarter.
The fourth quarter was a frantic one, to describe it best. Both teams went toe to toe with each other as the lead went back and forth with neither team holding a lead greater than three points.
With NKU up one with forty-two seconds remaining, what looked to be an illegal touch by a Marshall player was missed, giving the possession back to the Herd. Marshall’s Meredith Maier hit a layup with eighteen seconds remaining to set up what would be the final two possessions for the Norse.
NKU called a timeout, setting up a play that eventually went through Halle Idowu who was immediately double teamed forcing a contested shot that missed but was rebounded by Mya Meredith who went up for what looked to be an “and one” opportunity but was waived off by the officials.
Northern Kentucky had possession to the right of their basket where Macy Blevins was tasked with inbounding the ball. Blevins tossed an inbounds pass into Mya Meredith who immediately got the ball back to Blevins behind the three-point line where she let go a three that hit nothing but the net with 1.9 seconds remaining. Marshall inbounded the ball but was unable to get a shot off and the Norse bench rushed the court to celebrate the win.
The Lady Norse were led by Idowu with twenty-nine points, a career high, along with eight rebounds. Kalissa Lacy chipped in twelve points in her homecoming. Macy Blevins finished with ten points and five assists. Freshmen Kamora Morgan and Anna Hamilton each scored eight points apiece with Hamilton also dishing out five assists.
NKU returns home on Friday, November 15th for a matchup with Division II member Cedarville out of the Midwest Athletic Conference.
