It was a tale of two teams in the semi-final match for the Northern Kentucky University Women’s Basketball team, as the Norse defeated Missouri-S’T 79-67, March 8, advancing to the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament Championship game.

The game started in quick fashion as the Norse jumped out to a 38-17 lead with 4:49 remaining in the first half. That is where the tides turned for NKU.

For the remainder of the half, the Miners went on a 14-3 run to end the half down 41-31.

NKU continued struggling for the ball, committing 25 turnovers and allowing Missouri-S’T to creep back into the game.

The second half began rolling for the Miners, starting the half outscoring the Norse 19-12, narrowing the score to 51-50 with 11:50 left in the game.

Senior leadership strengthened the Norse, as point guard Nicole Chiodi and center Angela Healy began to take over the game.

Chiodi recorded a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds and Healy, who only had seven points in the first half, scored 14 in the second half to finish with 21 points and seven rebounds. NKU’s five starters ended in double figures.

The tides began to fall back on the Norse as they ended the game on a 28-17 run, defeating the No. 3 team in the Great Lakes Region, giving them a shot at next week’s NCAA Division II Tournament, which starts with Regionals March 14.

The Norse will face Drury in the conference championship game, March 9. In their last match up, Drury defeated the Norse 55-52, Jan. 5 at Regents Hall.