Preview: Cleveland State Vikings at Northern Kentucky Norse

HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. (Interstat) — A surging Cleveland State team visits a struggling Northern Kentucky squad in a Horizon League women’s basketball matchup Saturday at Regents Hall.

The Vikings (16-7) enter on a high note after a dominant 66-46 win over Milwaukee on Wednesday. Guard Colbi Maples led the way with 20 points and six assists, continuing a run of strong play. In her last eight games, Maples has averaged 9.7 points, though her scoring has been volatile, including a 30-point outing and a 3-point performance.

Cleveland State, which sits near the top of the conference standings, previously handled Northern Kentucky with ease, winning 74-56 in Cleveland on Dec. 16.

The Norse (10-13), however, are a different team at home, having won four of their last five in Highland Heights. Their most recent outing was a heartbreaking 97-91 overtime loss to Fort Wayne on Jan. 24, despite a career-high 35 points from standout guard Karina Bystry.

Bystry has been the engine for Northern Kentucky, averaging 19.1 points over her last eight contests. She has scored 20 or more points four times in that span, including a 24-point effort in a road win at Robert Morris.

The matchup pits Cleveland State’s consistency against Northern Kentucky’s explosive scoring potential. The Vikings have shown resilience, bouncing back from a 38-point offensive low at Youngstown State with their convincing win over Milwaukee. The Norse, meanwhile, have been in high-scoring affairs, with three of their last five games featuring 170 or more combined points.

For Northern Kentucky to reverse December’s result, containing Maples and finding secondary scoring behind Bystry will be critical. For Cleveland State, maintaining defensive discipline on the road against one of the league’s top individual scorers will be the key to extending their winning streak.

Tipoff is set for Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026.