KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Despite seven unanswered points at the end of the third quarter that closed the gap to seven and rallied NIU (19-10, 12-6 MAC) from an 18-point deficit, the Huskies could not complete the comeback at Western Michigan (17-12, 8-10 MAC) in the regular season finale, 90-77. Ally Lehman (Nineveh, Ind./Indian Creek) set NIU's single season record for double-doubles with her 17th, scoring 14 points and dishing 10 assists. It was her sixth 10-assist game of the season.

As a result of wins by Kent State, Ohio and Toledo, the Huskies clinched the No. 4 seed in next week's Mid-American Conference Tournament, thus earning a bye to the Quarterfinals at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. NIU will play the winner of Monday's First Round game versus No. 5 Ohio and No. 12 Eastern Michigan in Athens.

Northern Illinois University's top-four finish in the MAC is its fourth all-time and its first since 2008-09 when it finished 10-6 in conference play.

Four Huskies reached double figures, paced by Cassidy Glenn's (New Lenox, Ill./Providence Catholic) 20-point afternoon off the bench. Courtney Woods (Brisbane, Australia/St. Margaret's Anglican) and Mikayla Voigt (Slinger, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran) each added 18 and 13 points, respectively,

Offensive rebounding was the difference in the first half as the Broncos out crashed the Huskies on the glass, 12-4, to amass 41 field goal attempts in the period to NIU's 27 in the opening 20 minutes. While Northern Illinois University finished the half with .407 clip from the field with a free throw percentage of 80, the Huskies trailed Western Michigan at halftime, 39-28.

The third frame was bookended by 7-0 runs – first by the Broncos that gave WMU an 18-point edge with eight minutes left and the final by NIU to close the gap back to single-digits heading into the fourth quarter, 65-58. The Huskies drew two fouls and caused two turnovers in the final minute to bring momentum back in their corner heading into the final stanza.

Though Northern Illinois rallied valiantly by attacking the basket and drawing 11 fouls in the third quarter for a 10-of-12 clip at the free throw line in the stanza, Western Michigan staved off the Huskie threat by attacking the paint itself, outscoring NIU in the paint, 20-6, to increase its lead back up to double-digits.

Marley Hill, who finished with 20 points for the Broncos, accounted for 10 points in the fourth quarter to rally Western Michigan University. The Huskies broke the double-digit lead seven times in the quarter but could not dig themselves out of the hole to fall by 13.

WMU shot .704 from the field in the second half on 19-of-27 shooting.

Tickets will be available online through www.niuhuskies.com on Monday, March 6th. Fans can also call 815-753-PACK (7225) or stop by the NIU Convocation Center ticket office during normal business hours (M-F, 9 am - 5 pm) to purchase tickets starting on Monday as well. 

Tickets in NIU's reserved seating block will be $10 per session. All other General Admission seating at Quicken Loans Arena is $10 per session as well, and can be purchased at the Quicken Loans Arena box office.