DeKALB, IL – The Northern Illinois University women's basketball team opens the 2019-20 season on Tuesday morning when it takes on the Harvard Crimson at 11 a.m. at the NIU Convocation Center for Education day.
 
The Huskies were picked to finish second in the Mid-American Conference preseason coaches' poll last week, receiving four first-place votes. NIU went 19-13 last season in the 2018-19 season with a 10-8 record in the MAC. The Huskies reached the MAC Tournament quarterfinals after a thrilling 70-69 victory over Western Michigan in the first round at the Convocation Center.
 
NIU returns 12 letterwinners from a season ago for head coach Lisa Carlsen's fifth season in charge, including three double-figure per game scorers led by redshirt-senior Courtney Woods (Brisbane, Australia/St. Margaret's). Woods has earned a pair of preseason honors with a place on the Preseason All-MAC West Team and on the Cheryl Miller Award watch list. Woods averaged 20.1 points per game last season before an injury cut her season short. She was named the MAC West Player of the Week twice in the seven games she played. Woods enters this campaign eighth on the NIU scoring chart with 1,661 points and second with 260 career made three-pointers.
 
The Huskies also return their second-leading scorer from 2018-19 in junior guard Gabby Nikitinaite (Orpington, Kent, UK/Coopers School). As a sophomore, Nikitinaite averaged 12.1 points per game and shot 86.4 percent from the free throw line. She scored in double figures 20 times last season, including a stretch of 12 straight games. In her first career start on December 7, 2018 Nikitinaite scored a career-high 27 points. Senior point guard Myia Starks (Plainfield, Ill./Nequa Valley) averaged 11.7 points and a team-high 3.1 assists per game. She also tied for the team lead in steals with 44. She tied her career-high in scoring with 25 points in NIU's 109-102 double-overtime win over Brown.
 
NIU made the Convocation Center one of the toughest places to play in the MAC last season, posting a 13-3 home record. That was the most wins for the Huskies on the home floor since the 1993-94 season. NIU averaged 77.2 points per game at the Convocation Center last year and outscored the opposition by over 10 points per game.
 
Tuesday's game will be the first meeting between NIU and Harvard. The Huskies are 3-1 all-time against members of the Ivy League with wins last season over Yale and Brown. Harvard put a together a 17-13 season in 2018-19, reaching the second round of the WNIT. The Crimson were picked third in the Ivy League preseason media poll. Junior forward Jadyn Bush is Harvard's top returning scorer after averaging 10.9 points per game on 53.1% shooting from the field last year.
 
Season ticket pricing for the 2019-20 NIU women's basketball season begins at just $35 with great seats available throughout the arena. Reserved seats are $50 for all 14 home games. NIU faculty and staff, NIU Alumni Association or Varsity Club members and senior citizens can purchase women's basketball season tickets for $40.
 
Courtside seats are available for the 2019-20 NIU women's basketball season. These seats put fans on the court for an unmatched view and experience of the game.  Courtside seats are $200 each, which includes the cost of the season ticket plus a $150 per seat donation. For more information on women's basketball courtside seats, call the Huskie Athletic Fund at 815-753-PACK (7225).  
 
Flex pass, group and single game tickets are also available now. For more information visit NIUHuskies.com/tickets or call 815-753-PACK (7225).
 
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