The Cincinnati Enquirer

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Connie Myers scored 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds to pace the Norse women Saturday as the No. 22-ranked Northern Kentucky University women's basketball team posted a 74-59 victory over Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville in Division II.

Myers scored 17 points in the first half as NKU built a 34-27 lead at the break. She finished 10-for-13 from the field and also added two assists before fouling out late in the game. Elizabeth Burrows finished with 10 points, eight assists and six rebounds for NKU (11-4 overall, 6-3 Great Lakes Valley Conference). It also marked the 450th career win for Norse head coach Nancy Winstel, who is 450-144 in 21 seasons at NKU.

Karmen Graham added 11 points and five rebounds for NKU, which shot 53.7 percent from the field. Jessica Brock finished with nine points and nine rebounds for the Norse, who won the battle of the boards by a 39-25 margin.

NKU used a 46-24 scoring advantage in the paint to roll past SIUE (8-9, 3-7 GLVC). Defiance 70, Mt. St. Joe 63

Senior center Virginia Grace recorded her eighth double-double of the season in the loss, scoring 18 points with 15 rebounds as the Lions dropped to 6-8 (2-2 HCAC). Grace moved into fourth place on the Mount's all-time scoring list with 1,136 points and is 61 rebounds from 1,000 career boards.

Paula Sayen led Defiance (11-4, 3-1 HCAC) with 14 points.

Thomas More 63, Denison 45

The Saints (16-5) rolled to a sixth-straight win behind Joanna Bess's 16 points. Brooke Warner scored 14 points with a team-high eight rebounds and Carrie Clift added 10 points as Thomas More dismantled the Big Red (10-6).

Cincinnati St. 71, Lakeland 50

Crystal Norman paced the Lady Surge with 18 points. Khaleelah Head and Ashley Davenport contributed 15 and 13 points.

Men

Defiance 71, Mt. St. Joseph 58

The Lions (7-8, 1-3 HCAC) dropped below .500 for the first time this season, as Defiance picked up a five-point halftime lead and never trailed in the second half. Sophomore forward Derrick Jones led the Mount with 17 points and senior forward Tom Luther added 14 points and nine rebounds.

Curt Croy led all scorers with 21 points as the Yellow Jackets (7-7, 1-3 HCAC) snapped a three-game losing streak.

SIUE 81, NKU 75

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - Ron Jones scored 15 of his 21 points in the second to lead Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. Calvin Sykes added 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists for the Cougars (9-7, 5-5 GLVC).

Jesse Rupe led NKU (11-8, 4-5 GLVC) with 25 points and nine rebounds.

Thomas More 84, Dallas 64

Sophomore center R.K. Thurman scored a career-high 24 points with eight rebounds for a second-straight Saints (5-9) victory. Chad Wachs had a double-double (17 points, 14 rebounds), Andrae Woodard scored 15 points and Paul Hardy added 10 points.

Blake Guyton scored a team-high 13 points for Dallas (9-6).