March 29, 2008

Northern Kentucky Rallies to Win Second National Championship

MVP Healy Records Double Double; NKU 5th School with Multiple Titles

    Kearney, Neb. –  The Northern Kentucky women's basketball team used a 23-9 run to overcome a nine point deficit and beat South Dakota, 63-58, Saturday afternoon in the 2008 NCAA Division II National Championship game at the Health & Sports Center.

      A crowd of 3,067 watched the unranked Norse (28-8), from Highland Heights, Kentucky, end the 3^rd-ranked Coyotes' (33-2) 31-game win streak in the process.

      This also was South Dakota's last game as an NCAA Division II member and the last game for head coach Chad Lavin. The 'Yotes are moving into Division I next year with Lavin retiring after 26 of coaching college basketball at USD and Wyoming.        

      Amazingly, about three weeks ago, NKU was just hoping to make it into the NCAA Tournament. The Norse improved their NCAA chances by advancing to the Great Lakes Valley Conference finals, where it lost to Drury.

      Receiving a fourth seed in the Great Lakes Regional, NKU overcame a 15-point second half deficit to win its first round NCAA game against Indianapolis, 55-54. The Norse then whipped home standing Drury, 84-65, and edged Missouri S & T, 60-52, to advance to the Elite Eight.

      Today, South Dakota overcame a cold start to lead 38-26 five minutes into the second half. Northern Kentucky still trailed by nine, 49-40, by the 5:52 mark but that's when the game changed.

      Two steals by reserve Rachel Lantry led to five straight points from guard Jessie Slack. USD got the lead back to five by making one of two free throws but the Norse scored five in a row to tie things up.

      A key play during the 5-0 run was a shot clock violation by South Dakota, which the Norse turned into a layup by Cassie Brannen. Before fouling out, Brannen scored 15 of her team-high 18 points in the second half, nine of which came in the last six minutes.

      Two Brannen free throws put NKU ahead for good at the 2:08 mark, then Elite Eight MVP Angela Healy gave the Norse a three point lead, 56-53, with a bucket inside with 51 seconds left.

      South Dakota star Jeana Hoffman tried to tie things up with 42 seconds to go but her three missed the mark. The lefty finished with a team-high 19 points on 7 of 21 shooting (5 of 17 threes).

      NKU, rebounding strong down the stretch run, grabbed Hoffman's missed shot and turned it into a free throw from Lantry. Another missed 'Yote three led to two free throws by Slack and the party was on in Highland Heights.

      Missing nine field goals in a row early in the second half, Northern finished the half shooting a respectable 39.1 percent (9 of 23). Six of those makes came in the final six minutes.

      After making only 4 of 10 free throws in the first half, NKU sunk 19 of 23 free throws over the final 20 minutes. Finally, Northern out rebounded USD in the second half (22-18) and for the game (43-36).

      "What an amazing game. We knew once we caught them it was anybody's ball game," said NKU head coach Nancy Winstel. "At halftime, we felt like we were doing a pretty good job but just not making shots. We were also getting the free throwing but shooting only 40 percent. The key was we were getting there. We told our players to keep getting there."

      South Dakota's usual strong perimeter shooting wasn't there tonight as the 'Yotes were just 7 of 30 (23.3 percent) from down town. Hoffman was the only player to crack double digits as six others scored between four and nine points.

      USD had only seven turnovers but they led to 13 NKU points, many of which came in the final six minutes.

      "When we got down 12, and called a time out, we decided that wasn't an astronomical amount. We've been down before," said Winstel. "I thought we were playing good defense and getting good shots but just not knocking them down. This team has so much heart…we kept playing hard and (we knew) someone was going to start making shots."

      The Norse once again had a balanced attack. Brannen made 5 of 9 shots to reach her point total with Healy recording a double double (14 points, 13 rebounds) by going 5 of 15 from the floor.

      Next, Slack got hot late and finished with 11 points and five assists with Danyelle Echoles scoring all 12 of her points in the second half.

      Northern Kentucky joins Cal Poly Pomona (five), Delta State (three), North Dakota (three) and North Dakota State (four) as schools to have won more then one NCAA Division II women's basketball national title. The Norse were also national runners up in 2003.     

2008 Elite 8 All-Tournament Team

Angela Healy, Northern Kentucky (MVP)

Cassie Brannen, Northern Kentucky

Jeana Hoffman, South Dakota

Bridget Yoerger, South Dakota

Johannah Leedham, Franklin Pierce