DeKALB, IL – The Northern Illinois University women's basketball team was within three points of the Toledo Rockets at halftime Saturday at the NIU Convocation Center, but the Huskies shot 25 percent from the field in the second half as Toledo came away with the 63-51 win.
 
"It obviously wasn't the outcome that we were looking for," said head coach Lisa Carlsen. "We struggled offensively in the second half. That third quarter put us in a position where we were in quite a deficit and didn't put enough positive possessions together to get out of it. You got to credit Toledo. They hang their hat on their defense and I thought they did a really nice job of making things difficult."
 
Freshman Grace Hunter (Monroeville, Ind./Bellmont) led NIU with 11 points and three assists. Courtney Woods (Brisbane, Australia/St. Margaret's) added nine points.
 
NIU (4-10, 0-3 MAC) jumped out to a 9-4 lead with 6:13 left in the first quarter, scoring six straight points on jumpers by Woods and Ally May (Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead). The Huskies led 11-8 when a Tatyana Davis three-pointer sparked a 7-0 Toledo run that put the Rockets ahead 15-11 with 1:01 left in the opening period. Woods got the Huskies within a basket at the end of the quarter, making the score 15-13. Toledo opened the second quarter on a 7-0 run capped by a Tanaya Beacham layup to take a 22-13 lead with 7:33 to go in the half. NIU battled back with an 11-5 run over the next 5:31, as a Hunter three and a pair of Woods free throws got the Huskies within three 27-24 with 2:02 remaining. The two sides traded baskets to end the half with the Rockets leading 31-28.
 
Toledo (7-7, 2-1 MAC) scored the first five points of the third quarter to go up 36-28 just over two minutes in. The Huskies cut the lead in half on back-to-back A'Jah Davis (DeKalb, Ill./Montverde Academy [Fla.]) layups, making the score 36-32 at the 6:44 mark. Those were NIU's only field goals of the third. The Rockets held NIU to 2-for-11 shooting from the field in the third, outscoring the Huskies 17-7 in the quarter to take a 48-35 lead into the fourth. Toledo took its largest lead of the game with 8:03 left in the final period when a Nakiah Black jumper put the Rockets up by 20, 55-35. NIU closed the game on an 8-3 run, going 6-for-8 at the foul line, to make the final score 63-51.
 
NIU finished the game shooting 35.3 percent from the floor and just 4-for-15 from the three-point arc. Toledo shot 42.1 percent and outrebounded the Huskies 40-32. Black led all scorers with 16 points. Beacham added 11 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks.
 
The Huskies are back home on Wednesday, January 15 at 6 p.m. to take on Kent State.  Tickets for all remaining home games, including flex passes, are available now online at NIUHuskies.com/tickets or by calling the NIU Ticket Office at 815-753-PACK (7225).
 
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