By Chloe Smith
NKU Athletics Communications
Northern Kentucky women’s basketball pushed overtime against Youngstown State on Thursday night after trailing by double digits, but the Penguins protected their home court with a 77-73 win.
With the loss, NKU drops to 8-18 on the season and 4-10 in Horizon League play, while Youngstown State advances to 9-17 (5-10 HL).
Stat Leaders
· Senior forward Rebecca Lyttle recorded her eighth double-double of the season with 20 points and 10 rebounds, also marking the second time this season that Lyttle has scored 20 points in a game. Lyttle led the team in steals, setting a new career best with five swipes.
· Redshirt-freshman guard Taryn Taugher notched a new career best with 20 points, providing the game-tying layup that sent the contest into overtime.
· The last time two Norse scored at least 20 points in one game was also against Youngstown State, when Lyttle tied her career best of 23 while Kasey Uetrecht added 22 in the 87-81 win on Jan. 7.
· Junior guard Mikayla Terry added 11 points, eight rebounds and six assists.
First Half Summary
· The Norse enjoyed a quick lead over the Penguins in the first quarter, led by a seven-point effort from Taugher to lead NKU in the 15-13 opening stanza.
· NKU shot 50.0 percent from the field in the first quarter, but that dipped to 35.7 percent in the second quarter.
· The team showcased improved strength in the paint, outscoring YSU 20-18 down low, but was bested in second-chance points, 12-6, and points off turnovers, 9-6.
· NKU was not sent to the free throw line at all in the first half, but also sent a Penguin to the line on just two occasions.
· YSU outscored the Norse 18-10 in the second quarter, holding a 31-25 lead at the end of the half.
Second Half Summary
· Despite a 6-0 run to get within three points at 40-37, the Norse were outscored 17-14 in the third quarter to enter the fourth with a 48-39 deficit.
· NKU had its lowest shooting quarter in the third, connecting on just three field goals for 33.3 percent.
· Lyttle came alive in the second half, scoring 15 of her 20 points, helping the Norse tie the game up at 61-61 with under a minute to play.
· Taugher knotted it up at 63-63, and the Norse held YSU scoreless for the remainder of regulation to force overtime.
· NKU ended regulation with a strong fourth quarter, outscoring the Penguins 24-15 and shooting 50.0 percent from the field.
Overtime Summary
· The Penguins outscored NKU 14-10 in the overtime period, with eight of their points coming from the free throw line. YSU went 8-of-10 from the charity stripe in overtime.
· Taugher accounted for more than half of NKU’s points, with six points, while Lyttle and Terry scored two apiece.
