MUNCIE, Ind. – Turnovers and the inability to get the timely basket cost the Northern Illinois University women's basketball team as it suffered an 81-72 setback to Ball State at Worthen Arena Saturday afternoon.
 
NIU (10-10, 2-7 MAC) committed 21 turnovers on the day which the Cardinals (17-3, 6-3 MAC) converted into 28 points. In addition, the Huskies lost the rebounding battle, 49-44. While NIU hauled in 37 defensive boards, it also gave up 17 offensive rebounds which Ball State turned into 15 second-chance points.
 
"When you look at the statsheet, the difference is their offensive boards and our turnovers," said NIU head coach Lisa Carlsen. "We knew those were going to be two keys going into the game. We just didn't have the critical possessions where we gave ourselves a chance. We either turned it over or we'd get a stop, but give up an offensive board. That's the story of the game."
 
This is the ninth conference game for NIU to have been decided by 10 points or less.
 
Courtney Woods (Brisbane, Australia/St. Margaret's Anglican School) led the way for NIU with a game-high 37 points and a career-best 15 rebounds, 14 on the defensive glass. Woods went 14-for-21 from the field, including 7-10 from three-point territory.
 
"When she is feeling the way she is offensively, we have to put the ball in her hands in almost every possession," Carlsen said. "We did that. We did a good job of not just running stuff for her, but he teammates found her and she obviously found the bottom of the net more often than not."
 
Woods was one of three Huskies to finish in double figures. Kelly Smith's (Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead) finished with 15 points and three rebounds, while Mikayla Voigt (Slinger, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran) added 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists.
 
Trailing 73-67 with 2:06 left in the game, the Huskies was able to pull within three, twice in the last minute and half. Down 75-72 with 24 seconds left, NIU the ball over in three consecutive possessions and Ball State capitalized. The Cardinals made three of four from the free throw line and made a layup with eight seconds left in the game.
 
The Huskies outshot Ball State, 42.6-38.8, from the field. It was the 13th time NIU has done that this season and the fourth time it has lost in such games.
 
Ball State opened up a 20-point lead with 7:09 in the second quarter, 33-13. NIU chipped away throughout the period and whittled the lead down to eight by halftime. Unfortunately for the Huskies, they could never pull ahead in the second half.
 
NIU will return to the floor on Wednesday, Jan. 31, when the Huskies welcome Miami to the Convocation Center. Game time against the RedHawks is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT.
 
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