DeKALB - The NIU women's basketball (12-5, 5-1 MAC) team's six-game unbeaten streak came to an end Wednesday on Education Day as Akron (8-9, 1-5 MAC) earned its first Mid-American Conference win of the season, 84-55. The Zips posted their best performance of the season behind the arc as they were 14-of-32 (.438).
"I think we have to give Akron a lot of credit, they did a good job of keeping us uncomfortable. Once we were hesitant offensively, I think you saw us press a little bit," said Head Coach
Lisa Carlsen. "Unfortunately when you're built the way we are and we shoot the ball the way we did, that's not a good formula for success."
Three Huskies finished the day in double figures, led by
Mikayla Voigt (Slinger, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran) and
Janae Poisson (Matteson, Ill./Marian Catholic) with 15 and 14, respectively.
Courtney Woods (Brisbane, Australia/St. Margaret's Anglican School) also closed the contest in double figures as she added 11 points.
In their seven field goals of the opening period, Akron hit six from deep to carry a 22-15 lead into the second quarter, the two squads combined for 22 points in the second stanza as the Zips maintained their seven-point lead at halftime 33-26. NIU was 4-for-16 behind the arc in the opening half while going 11-for-37 from the field.
Woods led the Huskies with eight points in the first 20 minutes of play while
Cassidy Glenn (New Lenox, Ill./Providence Catholic/Presbyterian) had four points on a pair of second-chance buckets under the basket. Glenn also recorded five rebounds in the half, finishing with eight in the game to share the team-lead with
Ally Lehman (Nineveh, Ind./Indian Creek).
After a tightly contested first half, NIU put together its best shooting performance of the contest in the third quarter to hang tight with Akron, scoring 20 points with 50-percent clips from the field and from the three-point line.
However, Akron put together its best scoring output in the period as well with a 28-20 edge to lead 61-46 at the end of the third. UA closed the frame with 12 field goals.
The Zips momentum from the third spilled into the final quarter of play as they built a 29 point lead with just under a minute left to play, 84-55.
Akron posted five scorers in double figures led by reigning All-MAC selection Hannah Plybon, who led all scorers in the game with 20 points.
Northern Illinois University will return to action Saturday when it hosts Miami University in the first game of a doubleheader with the men's basketball team. Tipoff is slated for 1 p.m. Central. The game will air live on ESPN3.
