THE NEED TO KNOWS
NIU (1-0) vs Milwaukee (1-0)
DeKalb, Ill. (NIU Convocation Center)
Tipoff: 5:30 p.m.

DeKALB - After winning its season-opener at Loyola with a 90-point effort, the NIU women's basketball team (1-0) will host Milwaukee (1-0) in the first home game of the 2016-17 season. The Huskies will be seeking their first 2-0 start since 2003-04 and look to avenge a 73-58 loss to the Panthers last season. The contest will air live on ESPN3.

Single game tickets for NIU women's basketball reserved tickets start at $8 while reserved season tickets sell at $50, a cost of $4 per ticket for the Huskies 13-game home schedule. Call 815-753-PACK (7225) to purchase today or visit the Ticket Office in the NIU Convocation Center from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Students receive free admission to all home games.

FREE THROWS
• The Huskies scored 90 points in their season opener at Loyola last Friday, the first such effort in an opening game since Nov. 11, 2006 versus Illinois State (97-69).
• In four of the five team's last five road games - Loyola, Ball State, Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan - Courtney Woods has scored a career-high 21 points and has averaged 18.8 points per game in the last five road games.
• The Huskies outscored the Ramblers in the paint, 40-24, and cashed in Loyola's 20 turnovers into 26 points.
• Though Northern Illinois University led at halftime, 44-43, Loyola shot 64-percent from the field in the half. The Huskie defense only allowed 27 points in the second half, including a nine-point third quarter, and held the Ramblers to 27 percent from the field.
• Freshman Janae Poisson is the first freshman since Kelly Smith in 2014-15 to reach double figures in her collegiate debut as she scored 12 points versus Loyola.
• With a 15-point effort last Friday, Kelly Smith now owns a 16.0 point per game average in season-opening games. She scored 17 points in her debut versus Illinois State and scored 16 points at SIUE, leading NIU in scoring in her freshman and sophomore openers.
• NIU cleared the bench in its opener, playing all 11 players that were suited up. 10 of the 11 suited players scored in the contest, including four Huskies who reached double figures - Cassidy Glenn, Janae Poisson, Kelly Smith and Courtney Woods.
• After undergoing season-ending surgery in 2015-16 and redshirting the year, Renee Sladek returned to the Huskies lineup, scoring five points, five rebounds and tied her career-high with four assists. Sladek last appeared for Northern Illinois University in the First Round of the MAC Tournament on March 9, 2015.
• Senior Cassidy Glenn proved to be a matchup problem for Loyola as she totaled 14 points, six rebounds and set a career-high in blocks with four.
• In usual fashion, Ally Lehman filled the stat line in the season opener, registering seven points, seven rebounds and five assists. It was the 29th game of her career with five or more dimes.

NEXT UP
• The Huskies will return to the court on Saturday, Nov 19 when it takes on Western Illinois in Macomb, Ill. Tipoff in Western Hall is slated for 4:30 p.m.