DeKALB - Thanks to five scorers in double-digits and Ally Lehman's triple-double - the third in program history and the fourth in the NCAA this season - the NIU women's basketball team improved to 4-1 for the first time since the start of the 1990-91 season as it defeated Illinois State (2-3) Saturday night, 108-66. Courtney Woods (Brisbane, Australia/St. Margaret's Anglican School) led all scorers with 23 points while Ally May (Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead) pulled down a career-high 13 rebounds.

"I really liked our energy for the whole 40 minutes tonight, I think it's important to establish ourselves, especially offensively to get comfortable, and I thought we did that," said Head Coach Lisa Carlsen. "Maybe not as much in the first quarter, but definitely in the first half. In the second quarter we did a much better job defensively and had opportunities in transition to get things going."

Lehman (Nineveh, Ind./Indian Creek) finished the night with 19 points, 10 rebounds and a career-high 11 assists, registering the first triple-double for the NIU women's basketball team since Leslie Pottinger on Feb. 25, 1995 versus Loyola. The Huskies 100-point effort was also their first in regulation since March 2, 1996 versus Milwaukee.

NIU and ISU played back and forth in the first quarter as the Huskies led by eight points through the first 10 minutes of play, 24-16. Northern Illinois University opened up offensively in the second period as it tied the program record for points in a quarter with 37 to lead 61-34 at halftime, the most points in a half under Carlsen.

The trio of Lehman, Woods and Janae Poisson (Matteson, Ill./Marian Catholic) all scored 10-or-more points in the half with Lehman leading the group on 7-of-9 shooting and 15 points. Poisson, who finished the night with a perfect 5-of-5 clip behind the three-point line, scored a career-high 19 points in the contest.

While NIU continued to score, tacking on 30 more points in the third period, the Huskie defense recorded their best period defensively as they held Illinois State to 14 points to enter the fourth with a 91-48 advantage.

With 1:26 left in the third quarter, Lehman stepped off the court with her first points-assists double-double of her career with 19 points and 10 assists with nine boards.

She pulled down the landmark rebound on the opening possession of the fourth quarter after a missed layup by Cassidy Glenn (New Lenox, Ill./Presbyterian), kicking the ball out to Woods on the perimeter, who nailed a trey to add one more assist to her final tally. Lehman played 28 minutes for the Huskies.

Mikayla Voigt (Slinger, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran) and Glenn rounded out NIU's scorers as they added 12 and 16 points, respectively, the third time the Huskies have had five scorers in double figures this season.

A layup by Jazmine Harris (West Allis, Wis./Heritage Christian) put Northern Illinois University over the century mark with 6:32 remaining, 101-53. Harris nearly reached double figures in the contest as she scored a season-best nine points in five minutes of action on 4-of-4 shooting from the field.

NIU finished the night with 23 assists and only nine turnovers as it went 43-for-83 from the field (.518) and 13-of-25 (.520) behind the three-point line. The Redbirds were held to just 35 percent from the field in 70 total attempts as NIU outscored ISU in the paint, 57-26.

Northern Illinois University will return to action on Wednesday night when it heads to Drake. The Huskies and Bulldogs will tip off in Des Moines, Iowa at 7 p.m. Central.