DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University women's basketball team cruised to a 96-28 victory over Benedictine University in its lone exhibition game of the season at the Convocation Center Saturday.
 
The Huskies raced out to a 10-0 lead and never looked back. NIU had five players finish in double figures led by Kelly Smith (Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead). The Huskie senior led all scorers with 18 points, going 8-of-12 from the field.
 
"I think that's a key for us anytime we step onto the floor is to make sure we get off to a good start, especially at home," said NIU head coach Lisa Carlsen. "I thought our energy was consistent. I thought it was good. That's something we'll have to maintain every time we step out onto the court."
 
Courtney Woods (Brisbane, Australia/St. Margaret's Anglican School) finished with a double-double, scoring 13 points and hauling in 13 rebounds, including 12 defensive boards. Mikayla Voight (Slinger, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran) finished with 11 points and a game-high four assists.
 
Freshmen Riley Blackwell (Plainfield, Ind./Plainfield) and Errin Hodges (Evansville, Ind./Central) added 13 and 10 points off the bench, respectively.
 
"We had a lot of people that got those first game jitters out of the way," Carlsen said. "I liked what I saw, especially from our young kids.
 
"I think a game like this is really good for our freshmen to feel better about what they're doing on the floor. We played a lot of different combinations tonight, but overall, I think we'll like what we see on film."
 
NIU shot 46.7 percent from the field for the game, including 33.3 percent from three-point territory, while holding BU to 17.4 percent on 12-of-69 shooting. The Huskies controlled the glass as well, outrebounding the Eagles, 59-42.
 
"I was proud of our defensive effort tonight," Carlsen said. "I think we did a pretty good job, fundamentally, of making sure that we were in position. We did a good job of helping each other."
 
The Huskies open the 2017-18 regular season Friday when NIU travels to Charleston, Ill. to face in-state foe Eastern Illinois. Tip-off is set for 6 p.m. CT.
 
-NIU-