The Cincinnati Enquirer

RENSSELAER, Ind. - Karyn Creager scored a career-high 18 points and hit a key jumper with 51 seconds remaining Thursday as the Northern Kentucky University women's basketball team posted a 70-67 win over Saint Joseph's College.

After Saint Joseph's took a 66-65 lead on two free throws by Heather Allen, Creager hit a runner in the lane to give the Norse a 67-66 lead.

Jessica Brock sealed the victory by hitting two free throws with 10.4 seconds remaining. Heather Allen's 3-pointer at the buzzer hit the side of the rim as NKU pulled out the victory.

The Norse led by as many as 18 points in the first half.

Brock added 10 points and six rebounds for the Norse (16-7, 11-6 Great Lakes Valley Conference). Karmen Graham added 10 points, seven rebounds and three blocks for NKU.

NKU has now defeated Saint Joseph's 21 consecutive times. NKU has not lost to Saint Joseph's since the 1993-94 season, when the Pumas (6-17, 3-14 GLVC) posted a 72-67 victory against the Norse at Rensselaer, Ind.

NKU will conclude its two-game GLVC road trip with a 5:30 p.m. contest at Indianapolis on Saturday.

La Salle 66, Xavier 63, OT

PHILADELPHIA - Sophomore Tara Boothe scored 22 points and grabbed nine rebounds, but the Xavier women's basketball team dropped its fourth straight with a 66-63 overtime defeat at La Salle.

Suntana Granderson hit four threes to close with 14 points, and Miranda Green added 11 for the Musketeers (15-11, 7-8 Atlantic 10).

Adeola Olanrewaju led Xavier's rebounding efforts with 11.

Crista Ricketts came off the bench to have 23 points and 13 rebounds for La Salle (13-11, 6-8).

The game went to overtime, though Xavier had held a 10-point halftime lead.

La Salle scored the first six points in overtime and led 62-56 before the Musketeers scored on a pair of Miranda Green free throws with 42.4 seconds left. XU never got closer than the final margin of three in the extra period.

Boothe scored six of Xavier's first 13 points as the Musketeers built a 13-6 lead in the first seven minutes of the contest.

XU stretched the lead to double figures with six and half minutes left in the opening period as the Musketeers took a 25-12 lead.

The Musketeers shot 34.3 percent (23-67) in the game, 16 percent (4-25) from 3-point range.

Xavier will end the regular season Feb. 27 at 7 p.m. against Dayton at Cintas Center. Fans will get free admission if they bring a Kroger Brand non-perishable food item to the game to donate to the Free Store Food Bank.