The Gameday theme at NKU Saturday was “Cowboys and Crossovers” as the Lady Norse welcomed in Youngstown State for a matinee matchup in conference play and what those in attendance hoped would be a Battle at the OK Corral of sorts.
Coming in the NKU had lost their last 5 games all by a combined 32 points. Of those five losses, four of them were ones where the Norse held the lead heading in to the fourth quarter, only to lose down the stretch. Saturday was another opportunity for NKU to change that narrative. Unfortunately, the narrative continued as the Norse were outscored 21-5 in the fourth quarter after leading by seven and ended up on the losing end again 56-47.
“Another tough one for us,” said Head Coach Jeff Hans. “Credit to Youngstown State for coming in here and doing what they needed to do to get the win. We need to learn from it as always and put ourselves in better position to pull put wins.”
Things did not get off to a great start for the Norse when just a minute and a half into the game, senior and leading scorer Halle Idowu went down with an apparent ankle injury and was taken straight to the locker room. The Norse were already without senior Macey Blevins who was sitting out her second straight game of the young conference season from an ankle injury of her own. When asked for an update on Idowu’s status after going out, Hans replied, “Just a recurring injury. She hurt it late in the Cleveland State game, was able to practice yesterday, but ended up hurting it again. It definitely hurt not having her out there. It’s just next player up mentality now”.
NKU struggled to find an offensive rhythm to start the game and did not find the bottom of the basket for the first 5 ½ minutes until a Kalissa Lacy three pointer after a Kamora Morgan free throw.
The Norse looked to take their first lead of the game late in the first quarter, but a runner by Anna Hamilton was waived off and called for an offensive charge, giving the ball back to YSU.
Each team traded turnovers for the next two possessions in what was quickly becoming a sloppy first quarter. A Jewel Watkins runner in the lane put the Penguins up 12-9 with seconds remaining in the quarter. Morgan was unable to get off a shot before the buzzer and the Norse trailed at the end of one.
YSU wasted no time extending their lead at the start of the second quarter by hitting on the first possession to go up 14-9.
A Jaci Jones cut to the basket and score pulled the Lady Norse back to within 14-11. Jones hit another shot to keep the Norse in it at 16-14 as the teams headed to the first TV timeout of the quarter.
A Gabby Razzano turnaround jumper tied it at 16. Norse had a chance to take the lead, but two missed free throws by Lacy kept the game tied.
NKU was able to take their first lead on a deep three from the corner by Noelle Hubert to go up 19-16. Mya Meredith hit a pair of free throws the next time down and the Norse lead to was up to five at 21-16 with 31.4 left in the half.
A deep three from the Penguins’ Maila Magestro cut the Norse lead back to 2 as the teams headed to the locker rooms with NKU leading 21-19.
NKU finished the first half shooting 28% from the field (7-25) and were led by Kalissa Lacy with 6 points and Jaci Jones with 5. Gabby Razzano chipped in 4 points and grabbed 6 rebounds.
Turnovers were the theme of the first half with YSU committing 13 and NKU committing 8. Difference being that neither team could capitalize on those turnovers as YSU only managed 5 points off NKU turnovers and the Norse only managing 2 points off YSU turnovers.
NKU opened the second half on fire as Morgan drained a long three from the corner to keep the Norse ahead 24-19. NKU forced another YSU turnover, and Meredith hit a short jumper to keep the momentum in NKU’s favor and the Norse ahead 26-19 less than one minute into the second half.
Another empty YSU possession and an Abby Wolterman turnaround lay-in the lane pushed the Norse lead to 28-19 and forcing a YSU timeout with 8:18 remaining in the 3rd quarter.
YSU had an answer of their own out of the timeout going on a quick 8-4 run to cut the Norse lead to 30-27 with 5:10 left. A pair of free throws by Razzano pushed the lead back to 32-27 and a cross-over up and under by Madison French extended the lead to 34-27 which was then matched on the other end by the Penguins to send the teams to the first TV timeout of the half with NKU leading 34-29.
A driving layup by YSU’s Magestro cut the Norse lead back to just one and the Penguins forced a Norse turnover on the other end to gain possession back. NKU looked to have forced a shot clock violation but a Norse foul with 1-second left sent YSU to the line. The Penguins converted on one of two and tied it back up at 34 with 2:04 remaining.
The tie did not last long as Anna Hamilton hit a running jumper and then forced a steal on the defensive end and was fouled on the drive to the basket. Hamilton hit both free throws to put NKU back up 4. Hamilton, a starter at the beginning of the season, had been coming off the bench the last few games and her play seemed to energize the team. When asked about his thoughts on the play of Hamilton, Hans commented, “thought her effort was indicative of how she practiced yesterday, she came in and busted her butt the entire practice and it showed today.”
A pair of free throws from Noelle Hubert extended the NKU lead to 42-35 with 34.1 left. YSU was unable to convert on their next possession which gave NKU an opportunity at the end of the quarter to extend their lead, but a deep heave Hubert hit off the front of the rim as time expired.
The beginning of the fourth quarter started in an ominous yet all too familiar fashion as YSU went on a 9-0 run and forced an NKU timeout with 6:49 remaining the game.
An empty Norse possession out of the timeout allowed for a Faith Burch shot on the other end to extend the YSU lead to 46-42. An NKU turnover gave the back to the Penguins and another Burch made basket forced another Norse timeout and YSU leading 48-42.
NKU pulled back to within 48-45 on a deep three by Jones who was fouled on the play and went to the line with a chance for the 4-point play. Jones drained the free throw, and the Norse were back to within two.
Both teams were unable to score on multiple possessions until a Burch lay-in with 3:10 left put YSU up 50-46.
Both teams once again went scoreless the next four times down the floor. NKU called a timeout after a YSU turnover, and still trailing 52-47.
Out of the timeout, the Norse were called for an offensive foul on a box out attempt by Meredith giving the ball back to YSU with 45.5 seconds left.
YSU hit one of two free throws to push the lead out to six at 53-47 with 32.3 remaining in the game. NKU got possession back but a Lacy three was short and YSU was fouled on the rebound and headed to the line for two shots. Burch hit both free throws to extend the YSU lead to 8 with 25.7 seconds remaining in what would be an insurmountable deficit for the Norse to overcome.
For the game, NKU shot 29% (14-48) and 31% from behind the arc (6-19). The Norse turned the ball over 22 times, which resulted in a 19-6 advantage in points off. YSU outscored the Norse 32-10 in the paint and outrebounded them 38-32.
Jones led NKU with nine points, followed by Meredith with eight. Razzano chipped in six points to go along with six rebounds and Hubert scored five points while grabbing four rebounds. With the loss, NKU falls to 0-2 in conference (2-8 overall). The Norse step back into non-conference play next Sunday as they welcome in Ball State for a 3:30pm tip.
