Highland Heights, KY – The Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons (21-6, 15-1 Horizon League) looked to get back into the winning after losing their first game in 18 games last weekend against Cleveland State. The Northern Kentucky Norse (10-17, 7-9 Horizon League) would look to play “titan slayer” again, as they were the team to defeat Cleveland State days before the PFW/CSU stare down. Maria Marchesano’s Mastodons would prevail victorious over a never say quit Northern Kentucky squad by a score of 69-57.
First Quarter: Unfortunately like many times this season, the Mastodon’s offense came out flat. This recurring hitch in the wagon that is this Purdue Fort Wayne team usually hasn’t been too big of an issue until their loss against Cleveland State. Still not being able to shake the slow start sickness, the Mastodons would eventually get going. A newly returned from injury Jazzlyn Linbo would get the scoring started for the ‘Dons with a layup to knot the score after a Macey Blevins layup to start the game.
After the ‘Dons tallest player would score a layup, the shortest player for the ‘Dons, Audra Emmerson, would do her best Linbo impersonation with a layup of her own 30 seconds later. The Mastodon offense would then go ice cold with a near 4-minute scoring drought. Fortunately, the Norse would have a similar scoring deficiency during this time.
Lauren Ross would try to break the scoring slump with an inside-out three-pointer coming from Sydney Graber after grabbing an offensive rebound to take a 7-4 lead. Then Purdue Fort Wayne would see a full hockey line change with all 5 players being subbed out. In the timeout, NKU would draw up a set leading to a Noelle Hubert three-pointer to give the lead back to the Norse, but Jazzyln Linbo would tie the game at 9-9 with another basket down low on the next possession.
Former IU Indy guard and Fort Wayne native Jaci Jones would make the third three-pointer of the game for the Norse to give the lead back to NKU. To gain some serious momentum, the Mastodons would use a scoring surge from a Sydney Freeman three-pointer, a Sydney Freeman jumper, and an Amellia Bromenschenkel layup in the last minute of the quarter to take the lead for good 16-12.
Second Quarter: The Mastodons would not go flat to start the second quarter. The ‘Dons would start the second ten minutes with a 12-0 run. Audra Emmerson would nail a three-pointer assisted by Freeman, and then Emmerson and Freeman would both score layups to force a Northern Kentucky timeout. Then Amellia Bromenschenkel would go on a solo 5-0 run with a layup and three-pointer. Halle Idowu would finally stop the Mastodon run with a layup for the first bucket for the Norse in the quarter over three minutes gone off the clock.
For the next 5 minutes, both offenses would go cold – or both defenses became stellar. Your pick. For the next 5 minutes, PFW would only score twice on another Sydney Freeman layup and a Jordan Reid jumper. NKU would do slightly better, only scoring twice on a Jones three-pointer and a made basket with contact by Abby Wolterman, but she would not be able to convert the free throw.
The last two minutes of the half would see the two teams trade baskets. The Norse would swing first on a Mya Meredith layup, but Jordan Reid would return the favor with a layup of her own on the next trip down the floor. Audra Emmerson would score another layup, and then the Norse would get two points back on two made free throws by Macey Blevins with thirty seconds left in the half. These would be the last points of the half letting the Mastodons pull away with a 9 point win in the second quarter, and the ‘Dons would take a 36-23 lead into the break.
Third Quarter: The second half brought much more of the end of the first half – the Norse trying their best to get back into the game but the Mastodons doing just enough to keep them away. Lauren Ross and Jazzlyn Linbo would each score layups to start the half but only to be responded by Macey Blevins and Mya Meredith layups. Then Jazzlyn Linbo finds the basket again and Sydney Freeman showed off her excellent handles weaving through the NKU defense for two more layups of her own. The second layup would bring the Mastodon lead up to a game high 19 points.
Trading of baskets would see the Mastodon lead fluctuate from 19 points to 17 points to 18 points and down to 12 points on back to back Kalissa Lacy made three-pointers. For the second time in the game, Maria Marchesano was able to turn to her deep bench and sub all five Mastodons out in another hockey-esque substitution. Northern Kentucky was able to take advantage of the line change by sticking with the Mastodon fire power and actually exceeding the fire power. The third quarter would belong to the Norse, outscoring the Mastodons by four in the only quarter that they would win. The Mastodon lead that was once at 19 points was chipped away at and dwindled to a single digit 9-point lead to go into the final 10 minutes of the game 54-45.
Fourth Quarter: The Norse appeared to have all the momentum early in the final period. A free throw and layup made by Kalissa Lacy would get the Norse back in to a two-possession game for the first time since 9:25 remaining in the second quarter. The senior experience from the Mastodons would need to start shine, and it needed to start soon. Fortunately for the ‘Dons, the experience of losing three straight games back in November in a 1-point loss and back to back overtime losses proved to be a valuable lesson for this squad on how to be mentally tough and to finish games.
The Mastodons started to look like the “Mastodons of Old” (meaning the start of their 17-game winning streak) receiving scoring from the usual suspects. Sydney Freeman would get a layup, Lauren Ross would continue to showcase her shooting ability nailing a big time three-pointer, and Amellia Bromenschenkel would find the basket again in the lane. Sydney Graber and Mya Meredith would trade two made free throws each, keeping the Mastodon lead at 11 points.
Jordan Reid and Halle Idowu would trade layups, and Audra Emmerson would score the last field goal for the ‘Dons in the paint on a pass from Jazzlyn Linbo. Halle Idowu would make the 9th and final three-pointer for the Norse. Sydney Freeman would score the last points in the game for either side on two made free throws. The ‘Dons would prevail victorious against the “titan slayers” by a score of 69-57.
Stats and Leaders: The Norse were led by a familiar name in the scoring leader column in Halle Idowu with 14 points and Kalissa Lacy would also match her teammate with 14 points. No other player for Northern Kentucky would score in double figures. Idowu would also lead the Norse in rebounds with 8. Mya Meredith grabbed 7 rebounds, and Jaci Jones had 5 rebounds along with 5 assists.
The Mastodons were a balanced scoring attack. Sydney Freeman led all scorers with 17, and Emmerson and Bromenschenkel each added 11. Linbo, Ross, and Reid all finished the game with 8 ticks in the scoring column as well. Lauren Ross and Sydney Freeman would lead the rebounding efforts for the Mastodons with 6, but Linbo, Emmerson, Bromenschenkel, and Graber would all have 5 of their own.
In very surprising news, Northern Kentucky would top Purdue Fort Wayne in both 3PTM and 3PT%. The Mastodons would only make 5 three balls on 20 attempts on the night. Northern Kentucky would go 9-26 from beyond the arc. Overall, the Mastodons would win the shooting percentage from the field. The Mastodons would shoot 30-60 (50%) from the field, while NKU would produce 21 made field goals on one less attempt (35.6%).
The Mastodons would seemingly break the mold of their three-point shooting tendencies by scoring 50 of their 69 points in the paint.
The referees were also letting the teams play tonight. The Mastodons only shot five free throws the entire night, with two of the five coming with 30 seconds left in the game. The Norse would shoot twice as many free throws at 10, but they would only connect on six of them.
What’s Next: Northern Kentucky will play at home this Saturday, February 22 for Senior Day against the Wright State Raiders. The Norse currently sit 5th in the Horizon League standings – 1 game back from Robert Morris for that last quarterfinal home game given to the top four seeds. The game will tip off at 1:00pm ET on ESPN+.
The Mastodons will return home to Fort Wayne for Senior Day on Sunday, February 23 against Detroit Mercy. Detroit Mercy is tied for 5th place with Northern Kentucky in the Horizon League standings. The Mastodons will continue to control their destiny. A win streak to end the season, including a win against Green Bay at Green Bay, would clinch the programs first ever conference regular season championship and therefore the first ever Horizon League one-seed for the program. The game against Detroit Mercy will tip off at 2:00pm ET and will be broadcasted on ESPN+.
