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 Chastidy Miller scored a team-high 16 points in the loss at NKU. |
Nov. 20, 2008
Highland Hts., Ky. - The Wayne State University women's basketball team (0-1 overall) had a daunting task in its regular-season opener -- playing at defending national champion Northern Kentucky (1-0) Thursday evening. NKU took control early and went on to defeat the Warriors 75-51.
Senior Chastidy Miller (White Lake, Mich./Waterford Kettering) scored from inside on the game's first possession then split a pair of foul shots 90 seconds later to knot the game at three. The Norse went on a 7-0 before a pair of free throws by senior Joy Nash (Muskegon, Mich.) made it a five-point game.
NKU had a 10-2 run before senior Jasmine McCall (Detroit, Mich./CMA/Bowling Green) and junior Brooke Bowers (Delphos, Ohio/Jefferson) each sank two free throws to cut the deficit to 20-11. Six straight points by the hosts preceded a lay-up by McCall.
Bowers drained a triple from beyond the arc and Miller made the second of two foul shot attempts making the score 28-17 with just over seven minutes remaining in the first half.
The Norse had a 16-7 run to end the opening 20 minutes.
The Warriors were able to get within 17 just twice in the second half.
Wayne State held a 16-15 advantage in points off turnovers but Northern Kentucky shot 45.2 percent (28-62) from the floor compared to 15-of-53 for the Warriors (28.3 percent).
The Warriors made 17 free throws, while NKU shot 17 times from the charity stripe.
Miller scored a team-best 16 points, while Bowers scored 15 and added a team-high six rebounds. McCall contributed 11 points, five rebounds and five steals.
Wayne State continues its season-opening three-game road trip with a visit to Madonna on Tuesday night, Nov. 25.
