MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin — An 11-3 Milwaukee run early in the fourth quarter Thursday night helped the Panthers to a 78-71 victory over Northern Kentucky.

Rianna Gayheart pulled the Norse within five with 8:54 remaining. However, the 11-3 run allowed Milwaukee to open a 62-49 lead with 5:39 remaining.

Milwaukee (16-10 overall, 10-5 in Horizon League) led by as many as 14 points with 1:06 remaining. NKU scored 10 of the last 14 points to narrow the final margin.

Three Milwaukee players scored in double figures, led by Sierra Ford-Washington with 24 points. Steph Kostowicz had a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Sydney Howard had 15 points.

Christine Roush led NKU (16-10, 8-7) with 19 points and 9 rebounds. Molly Franson added 14 points. Rianna Gayheart had 13 points and 7 steals.

NKU wraps up the road portion of its regular season 2 p.m. Saturday at Green Bay. The Phoenix wrapped up its 18th consecutive Horizon League regular season title Thursday night.

Summary

Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016

@ Klotsche Center, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Milwaukee 78, Northern Kentucky 71

N — 16 – 15 – 12 – 28 — 71
M — 22 – 14 – 15 – 27 — 78

(71) NORTHERN KENTUCKY (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Lyttle 1-0-0-2, Uetrecht 3-2-1-9, Glick 1-0-2-4, Gayheart 4-3-2-13, Ch. Roush 6-3-4-19, Co. Roush 4-0-2-10, Franson 3-0-8-14. TOTALS 22-8-19-71.

(78) MILWAUKEE (fg-3fg-ft-tp) Roenneburg 2-0-2-6, Kostowicz 7-0-5-19, Howard 6-3-0-15, Lindner 1-0-2-4, Ford-Washington 6-1-11-24, Lindstrom 1-1-2-5, Cunningham 1-0-1-3, Izquierdo 0-0-2-2. TOTALS 24-5-25-78.

FIELD GOALS: N 22/67 (Ch. Roush 6/16, Gayheart 4/10); M 24/51 (Kostowicz 7/10, Howard 6/10, Ford-Washington 6/13)

3 POINT FIELD GOALS: N 8/28 (Gayheart 3/9, Ch. Roush 3/9); M 5/19 (Howard 3/6)

FREE THROWS: N 19/24 (Franson 8/10, Ch. Roush 4/4); M 25/33 (Ford-Washington 11/12)

REBOUNDS: N 34 (Ch. Roush 9, Gayheart 5, Franson 4); M 41 (Kostowicz 10, Ford-Washington 6, Lindstrom 5)

ASSISTS: N 13 (Uetrecht 3, Gayheart 3, Co. Roush 3); M 9

STEALS: N 12 (Gayheart 7); M 4

BLOCKED SHOTS: N 1; M 4

TURNOVERS: N 16; M 21