OXFORD, Ohio ­– The Northern Illinois University women's basketball team (8-4, 0-1) suffered a 67-65 setback at Miami (9-3, 1-0) in the Mid-American Conference opener for both teams at Millett Hall Saturday.
 
With 15.7 seconds left in the game and the Huskies trailing, 65-62, Courtney Woods (Brisbane, Australia/St. Margaret's Anglican School) nailed her first three pointer of the game to tie the contest, 65-65.
 
However, a Huskie foul on the shot put Lauren Dickerson to the line for a pair of free throws. The RedHawk guard hit both shots to give Miami a 67-65 lead with three seconds left in regulation. Unfortunately for the Huskies, the full court inbounds pass was intercepted and Miami sealed the victory.
 
Miami led by five with 22 seconds left to play when Myia Starks (Oswego, Ill./Neuqua Valley) made a layup and Miami's Kayla Brown missed a pair of free throws. A quick timeout by the Huskies allowed NIU to advance the ball to half court. Woods took the inbounds pass, got open and hit the game-tying shot.
 
Miami called their final timeout, allowing the RedHawks to inbounds the ball from half court and run one final play. Dickerson drove the line and Kelly Smith (Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead) was called for her fifth foul of the game to send Dickerson to the line.
 
Smith led all scorers with 21 points and added nine rebounds, while Ally May posted her second double-double of the season, scoring a career-high 16 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Woods also finished in double figures with 12 points, which she got on her final shot of the game.
 
"Obviously, we're a lot better when Kelly's on the floor," said NIU head coach Lisa Carlsen. "She was in a little bit of foul trouble, but for the most part she did a good job of playing defense with her feet. She was obviously really effective for us on the offensive end, on the glass as well as shooting the ball.
 
"I thought her and Ally played really well. They took some of the load off our guards that didn't get the shots they're used to getting."
 
Cold shooting from the field and missed opportunities at the free throw line cost the Huskies. NIU was outshot, 50.0-44.4 percent, in the fourth quarter, shooting as low as 28.6 midway through the final period. The Huskies went 8-of-14 from the free throw line, shooting 57.1 percent from the line for the game.
 
"I think you can look at opportunities that we left at the line. I think you can look at opportunities on shots we should've finished on the rim and then some key turnovers that gave them [Miami] another opportunity," said NIU head coach Lisa Carlsen. "In a game like this, you're always going to look at some of those possessions you let get away.
 
Mikayla Voigt (Slinger, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran) was held well under her season average of 16 points per game, scoring four as the Huskie junior went 1-of-5 from the floor and 2-for-4 from the free throw line.
 
The Huskies return to the court Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2017 when NIU takes on Kent State. Tip-off is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT. Tickets are available at NIUHuskies.com. Fans can watch the game live on ESPN3 or listen on 1360 WLBK AM.
 
-NIU-