DeKALB, IL – The Northern Illinois University women's basketball team honor its five seniors Saturday as the Huskies host Mid-American Conference leaders Central Michigan for a 1 p.m. tip-off at the NIU Convocation Center for "Cram The Convo".
 
Prior to the women's game, NIU will honor the five seniors on this season's team – Courtney Woods (Brisbane, Australia/St. Margaret's), Myia Starks (Plainfield, Ill./Nequa Valley), Ally May (Hartland, Wis./Arrowhead), Ninni Salmi (Kauhajoki, Finland/San Francisco), and Abby Woollacott (Rockford, Ill./Rockford Lutheran).
 
Saturday's game is the first of a doubleheader, with the NIU men's basketball team taking on Central Michigan at 3:30 p.m. Beginning when the doors open at noon, the first 1,250 fans attending Saturday's doubleheader will receive a NIU Basketball replica jersey, supported by Northwestern Medicine. Tickets for Saturday's doubleheader, including flex passes, are available now at NIUHuskies.com/tickets or by calling 815-753-PACK (7225).
 
NIU (8-16, 4-9 MAC) is coming off a 97-89 loss at Ball State Wednesday night. The Huskies shot 45.7 percent from the field against the Cardinals and made 11 three-pointers for their second-highest point total of the season. Woods led four Huskies in double-figure scoring with 18 points, adding a season-high six assists. Her 18 points put her at 2,104 points, moving her past Carol Owens and her 2,102 career points for second place on the NIU career scoring chart. Woods has scored at least 15 points in each of the last 10 games, averaging 21.5 points per game during this current stretch.
 
The Huskies had a season-high 46 points from the bench at Ball State. Three reserves scored in double-figures led by freshman guard Chelby Koker's (Racine, Wis./Shoreland Lutheran) 16 points. Koker tied a season-high with five three-pointers as she scored in double-digits for the eighth time this year. Riley Blackwell (Plainfield, Ind./Plainfield) was 5-for-6 from the field with a pair of threes to score 13 points. It was her first double-figure scoring game since January 15 against Kent State. A'Jah Davis (DeKalb, Ill./Montverde Academy [Fla.]) had 12 points, six rebounds, and three assists against Ball State.
 
Central Michigan (20-4, 13-0 MAC) remained unbeaten in MAC play Wednesday night with a 71-58 win over Kent State. Freshman Molly Davis led all scorers with 26 points as Micaela Kelly had a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Kelly leads the MAC in scoring at 22 points per game as the Chippewas have the highest-scoring offense in the league, averaging 77.9 points per game. Central Michigan won the first meeting against NIU this season 66-60 at McGuirk Arena on February 5.
 
The Huskies are back on the home floor on Wednesday, February 26 to take on Eastern Michigan. For tickets, log on to NIUHuskies.com/tickets or call 815-753-PACK (7225).
 
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