Final Stats

Ohio 95, NIU 70 

ATHENS, Ohio — Playing its final road game before a three-game homestand, NIU (9-12, 2-8 MAC) converted a season-high nine three-point baskets at Mid-American Conference leader Ohio (18-4, 10-1 MAC), shooting 40.9 percent in the game. However, the Bobcats outscored the Huskies in the paint, 40-26, and drained 12 shots behind the arc to defeat NIU, 95-70.

Three Huskies finished in double-figures, led by Mikayla Voigt’s (Slinger, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran) 16 points on 7-of-16 shooting and four assists. Courtney Woods (Brisbane, Australia/St. Margaret’s Anglican) added 16 points while Kelly Smith (Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead) registered 13 points in the third quarter. Ally Lehman (Nineveh, Ind./Indian Creek) pulled down 10 rebounds, giving her 16 double-digit board performances in 2015-16, one shy of tying NIU’s single season record.

Turnovers proved costly for NIU in the opening period as Ohio scored eight of their 12 baskets in the frame on takeaways to build a 22-point lead after one period. Eight different Bobcats scored in the quarter.

“I think that was the key early, we didn’t take care of the basketball. We gave them too many good opportunities and we didn’t shoot well and those are the two things we discussed in pregame that needed to change from our first matchup, unfortunately,” said Head Coach Lisa Carlsen. “Give Ohio credit because they played a good game and they’re a good pal club, we just didn’t respond very well coming out of the locker room (in the first period).”

The Huskies responded in the second stanza, paced by Voigt’s seven points that including one three-pointer. As a team, Northern Illinois University drained three baskets from behind the arc in the second frame as both Cassidy Glenn (New Lenox, Ill./Providence Catholic) and Woods hit three-point field goals alongside Voigt.

The Bobcats hit a pair of layups at the buzzer in both the first and second period to take  50-23 into the locker room. OU nailed six three-point field goals in the opening half while shooting 54.3 percent from the field (19-of-35).

Smith kickstarted NIU in the third period, going 4-for-7 from the field with four free throws and a trey to score 13 points in the quarter. Her play forced the Bobcats to take two timeouts in the stanza, who narrowly outscored the Huskies in the frame, 23-18.

Woods would lead Northern Illinois University in the final quarter, scoring 11 points to pace the team’s 27-point fourth. Voigt added nine points in support of Woods as the Huskies were 7-of-12 from the field.

Georgia Breunig (Sauk Prairie, Wis./Sauk Prairie) scored a career-high six points off the bench while Jazmine Harris (West Allis, Wis./Heritage Christian) led all the Huskies’ reserves with eight points and two assists. NIU outrebounded OU in the contest, 41-38, including, 17-14, on the offensive glass.

The Huskies will start a three-game stretch at the NIU Convocation Center on Wednesday, Feb. 10, hosting Miami (Ohio) on Education Day. The Huskies and Redhawks will tipoff at 11 a.m. Central.