SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Wofford women's basketball team returned home to the Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium to play a tough contest against Northern Kentucky University. However, the Norse utilized the three-ball at a record pace, and it was too much for the Terriers to overcome, falling 84-64 Monday night. The results drops Wofford to 4-8, while Northern Kentucky improves to 8-3 (2-2, Horizon League).
 
The Terriers shot 35.2 percent from the field and 32.0 percent from three. However, the Norse heavily outpaced both marks, knocking down half of their shots for an even 50.0 percent. From beyond the arc, Northern Kentucky posted a 51.6 percent mark on a program-record 16 threes. The Norse also held the rebounding advantage, 34-31. Wofford only committed nine turnovers on the night, with Northern Kentucky actually committing more with 12. But the Norse utilized the fast break well, too, securing 13 points via fast break while the Terriers were blanked in that category. The Norse scored 37 seconds into the contest and never looked back, as Wofford trailed the rest of the way.
 
"I give Northern Kentucky all the credit in the world," head coach Jimmy Garrity said of the Norse. "They came in here with a really good gameplan. We knew they could shoot the ball really well, but give them credit. They shot a very high percentage – 16 threes off of 31 attempts. You're going to win a lot of ballgames that way."
 
Lilly Hatton led the way with 14 points on the night. She tied for the lead in boards with Niyah Lutz, both securing six. Lutz was Wofford's only other double-digit scorer, dropping 12 points. Helen Matthews and Reagan Rapert tied for the lead in assists, each dishing four. The mark tied Rapert's career-high. The pair also posted five points each. Annabelle Schultz and Jackie Carman each added eight points, as Carman's run of five-straight games leading the Terriers came to a close. However, the first of her two thre-pointers was the 100^th of her career. Alexis Tomlin contributed five points and rebounds, while Abbey Crawford added four points and Sydnee Richetto had three to round out the scoring.
 
"I thought we did have some positives," said Garrity of his Terriers. "[Only] nine turnovers. I think we had five after the first quarter, so four for the remainder of the game was good. Just at the end of the day, Northern Kentucky made more plays than we did."
 
Northern Kentucky opened the scoring 37 seconds in with a three-pointer, a sight that would become commonplace throughout the game. The Terriers stayed close, as Lilly Hatton responded with a layup. Hatton took charge for Wofford early, scoring the first eight points for the Terriers. However, the Norse had added some more threes, and they held a 13-8 advantage when Hatton secured her eighth point. Niyah Lutz became the second Terrier to enter the scoresheet with her jumper to end the quarter, cutting the lead to 13-10.
 
The Norse returned to the deep ball with back-to-back triple to begin the second quarter. Another jumper was added before Jackie Carman added a three of her own to keep the deficit in single-digits at seven. The sides then traded baskets, first two-pointers and then a pair of triples for each. Wofford's threes came from the hand of Annabelle Schultz, dropping the deficit to six points. However, Northern Kentucky kept their hot hands going, adding five-straight points and then four-straight points, the lone Terrier basket in the middle coming from Abbey Crawford. The sides again traded jumpers, and Lilly Hatton hit another one to close out the half. Wofford trailed 41-30.
 
Showing no quit, the Terries opened the second half with an Alexis Tomlin layup. However, the Norse had an answer for each Wofford bucket, first hitting a jumper. Then, Reagan Rapert drilled a three, but the Norse dropped in one of their own. After trading points once more, Northern Kentucky hit back-to-back triple to stretch their lead to 17 points after a little over seven minutes of third quarter play. The Terriers kept fighting, with the squads trading baskets some more before Abbey Crawford hit a jumper to end the half, as Wofford trailed 59-43 entering the final frame.
 
With their backs against the wall, the Terriers attempted to mount a fourth quarter comeback, opening with a triple from Jackie Carman. Lilly Hatton then took a trip to the charity stripe to down a pair of free throws. However, Wofford's momentum was stifled by yet another Northern Kentucky three. Niyah Lutz got a jumper, but the Norse immediately responded with another triple. A layup then extended their lead, but Lutz came back with a three to keep Wofford alive. However, the Norse again hit from distance to offset it. With six minutes left in the game, the Terriers got a jumper from Helen Matthews to spark a run of seven-straight points. Hatton swished two more free throws, and Sydnee Richetto splashed a triple after an Annabelle Schultz steal and dish to cut the deficit to ten points. However, Wofford's newfound momentum was immediately stymied by yet another Norse triple. After a Matthews free throw, Northern Kentucky effectively iced the contest with a nine-point run. Niyah Lutz hit a trey in the final minutes, but it was for naught as a Norse layup closed the affair. Wofford lost, 84-64.
 
The Terriers will now get their longest break of the season, with nine days until their next game, in which Wofford will travel to New Orleans, La. to face the Tulane Green Wave. Tipoff is set for 7:00 pm on Thursday, Dec. 30. The Terriers will then return home for a New Year's Day contest with Erskine. The 2:00 pm matchup on Saturday, Jan. 1 will open 2022 for Wofford and close out nonconference play.