CARBONDALE, Ill. – Sophomore guard Gabby Nikitinaite (Orpington, Kent, UK/Coopers School) led the Northern Illinois University women's basketball team with a career-high 27 points Friday night, but the Huskies could not withstand a fourth-quarter three-point barrage from the Southern Illinois Salukis in an 82-73 loss at SIU Arena in the Compass Challenge.
 
"I'm really proud of Gabby tonight," said head coach Lisa Carlsen. "She did a real nice job for us. I thought she was aggressive, took some good shots, and made some tough shots."
 
Nikitinaite was 10-for-20 from the field and a perfect 5-for-5 at the free throw line, adding a season-high six rebounds and four assists. Senior guard Mikayla Voigt (Slinger, Wis./Kettle Moraine Lutheran) had a double-double with 19 points and a career-high 10 rebounds. Myia Starks (Oswego, Ill./Nequa Valley) added a season-high 15 points.
 
After a cagey start between the two teams, SIU (4-4) went on a 13-4 run over 4:06 to take a 19-8 lead with 2:31 to go in the first quarter. Three-pointers by Kristen Nelson and Makenzie Silvey bookended the scoring spurt from the Salukis. NIU responded with a 7-0 run to end the quarter, as baskets by Voigt, Starks, and Abby Woollacott (Rockford, Ill./Rockford Lutheran) got the Huskies within four, 19-15, after one. The run extended into the second quarter, as four straight points from Nikitinaite tied the game at 19 with 8:43 to play. NIU trailed 22-21 when an Abby Brockmeyer three started a 9-0 Salukis run that put SIU ahead 31-21 with 5:21 to play in the half. The Huskies closed the deficit to two by halftime, as a Woollacott layup with 0:07 to go made the score 42-40.
 
NIU (4-4) took its first lead of the game with 5:05 to play in the third quarter. A Nikitinaite triple capped a 7-2 Huskies run that made the score 47-45 NIU. After SIU came back to take a 51-49 lead at the 3:57 mark, a Voigt three-pointer started another 7-2 NIU run that gave the Huskies a 56-53 advantage with 1:25 to go in the third.
 
"I thought we did a good enough job on the glass in the third," Carlsen said. "That was important for us to rebound the ball and be able to work in space because we have some guards who are probably at their best when they have room to work."
 
SIU then went on a 9-0 run, capped by threes from Brockmeyer and Silvey, to take a 62-56 lead with 7:58 to go in the game. The Salukis made four threes to start the quarter as another Nelson triple put SIU up 68-61 with 6:29 to go. A Voigt three started a late charge for NIU, as the Huskies went on a 12-6 run over 4:02 to get within one, 74-73, at the 2:27 mark. That was as close as NIU got. Back-to-back threes by Brockmeyer and Nelson started a game-ending 8-0 run for SIU that gave the Salukis the 82-73 win.
 
"They hit some big shots in the fourth quarter, some real daggers at the end of the shot clock," said Carlsen. "Credit SIU. They did a great job down the stretch."
 
SIU shot 44.4 percent from the field and 46.7 percent from the three-point line. The Salukis made 14 three-pointers in the game, seven of which came in the fourth quarter. NIU shot 39.4 percent from the field, but only 28.6 percent from long distance. The Salukis outrebounded the Huskies 44-42, but NIU forced 15 SIU turnovers while only committing 10. Brockmeyer led SIU with 26 points and 11 rebounds. Nelson added 23 points.
 
NIU will take on Western Illinois Saturday at 1 p.m. in its final game of the Compass Challenge.
 
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