DeKALB, IL – The Northern Illinois University women's basketball team begins a stretch of four home games in five games Wednesday night when it takes on the Miami RedHawks at 6 p.m. at the NIU Convocation Center.
The Huskies will host their Power of the Pack free clinic for all girls and boys in first through eighth grade in Victor E. Court prior to the game starting at 5 p.m. Attendees are invited to help form the high-five tunnel prior to NIU women's basketball taking the floor against the RedHawks. Those wanting to attend Power of the Pack can sign up at the following
link. Tickets are available now online at NIUHuskies.com/tickets or by calling the NIU Ticket Office at 815-753-PACK (7225).
NIU (7-13, 3-7 MAC) earned a key road win last Saturday with a 92-87 overtime win at Bowling Green. The Huskies erased a five-point deficit in the final 46 seconds of regulation to force overtime as
Riley Blackwell's (Plainfield, Ind./Plainfield) three-pointer with 5.1 seconds left tied the game at 80. NIU then opened the extra period on a 7-0 run to take an 87-80 lead with under 2:00 to play.
Courtney Woods (Brisbane, Australia/St. Margaret's) scored 23 of her season-high 32 points in the second half and overtime, adding a game-high eight rebounds. Over the last seven games Woods has averaged 22.7 points per game with at least 20 points in five games. She is now third in the Mid-American Conference in scoring at 18.4 points per game and leads the league in free throw percentage at 88.6 percent. Woods has made her last 20 free throws dating back to January 11. She now stands at 2,048 points for her career, 55 away from passing
Carol Owens for second place on the NIU career scoring chart.
The Huskies are second in the MAC in rebounding, averaging 41.5 rebounds per game. NIU outrebounded its opponent for the fifth straight game on February 8 with a 46-38 edge on the glass at Bowling Green. The Huskies have been outrebounded just once in MAC play and lead the MAC in rebound margin in conference games at +4.1.
Miami (11-12, 4-7 MAC) had a three-game winning streak snapped on February 8 in a 99-87 loss to Central Michigan. Senior forward Savannah Kluesner led all scorers with 35 points and had eight rebounds, while Lauren Dickerson had a double-double with 16 points and 12 assists. Dickerson leads the RedHawks in scoring with 16.7 points per game and is one of six active Division I players, along with
Courtney Woods, to have over 2,000 career points.
The RedHawks lead the all-time series with NIU 21-20. Miami won the first meeting between the two teams this season 66-64 at Millett Hall on January 8. NIU has won four of the last five meetings against Miami at the NIU Convocation Center.
NIU hosts Western Michigan on Saturday, February 15 at 1 p.m. for its Play4Kay Pink Game.
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