DEKALB, Ill. ­– Mikayla Voigt's career-high 26 points and a solid defensive effort helped lead the Northern Illinois University women's basketball team (10-4, 2-1) to an 86-84 overtime victory over Buffalo (11-3, 2-1) at the Convocation Center Saturday afternoon.
 
"I couldn't be prouder of the guys and with the resiliency we showed, especially when things collapsed on us a little bit at the end of regulation," said NIU head coach Lisa Carlsen. "It would've been really easy at that time to pack up shop and go home because we were faced with a lot of adversity, but credit those five or six kids that played in overtime for understanding that each possession was huge."
 
With the Huskies trailing, 84-82, with 40 seconds left in the game, Voigt hit her second three-pointer of overtime and fourth of the game to give NIU an 85-84 lead. The Huskies then came up with a big defensive stand on the other end of the floor.
 
NIU forced two missed Buffalo shots. Abby Woollacott grabbed the biggest rebound of the game when she hauled in a missed shot by Theresa Onwuka with 23 seconds left in the game.
 
Woollacott was fouled on the rebound and went to the line for two shots. After missing the first, she made the second to put the Huskies up by two. The Huskie defense came up big again, forcing three missed Buffalo baskets including one at the buzzer.
 
It was somewhat fitting that NIU would pull ahead with a three-pointer as it was the three-ball that allowed Buffalo to force the game into overtime. With the Huskies leading 74-68, and 36 seconds left in regulation, Cierra Dillard hit back-to-back threes to tie the game, 74-74, and force it into an extra frame.
 
Buffalo opened a four-point lead in overtime as Stephanie Reid hit back-to-back threes and Dillard hit her fourth of the night to give the Bulls an 83-79 advantage. Voigt was able to keep the Huskies close with a three-pointer and a pair of made free throws during that stretch.
 
Voigt was perfect from the free throw line, going 6-for-6 to go along with her 8-of-19 shooting from the field, including 4-of-11 from three-point land. Woollacott was dominant on the glass. The Huskie sophomore grabbed a career-high 13 rebounds and added a career-best four steals and five points, a season high.
 
"I thought Abby played her best basketball game as a Huskie," Carlsen said. "Her tenacity on the glass was exactly what we needed in those key situations. We talk all the time about people understanding their roles and what their strengths are when they come on the floor, especially our bench. I think Abby exemplified that to a T tonight."
 
Courtney Woods (Brisbane, Australia/St. Margaret's Anglican School) and Kelly Smith (Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead) also finished in double figures. Woods posted her second double-double of the season, scoring 17 points and grabbing 10 rebounds, while Smith finished with 14 points before fouling out.
 
The Huskies return to the court Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018 when NIU travels to Western Michigan to face the Broncos. 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 AM WLBK.
 
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