DeKALB, IL – The Northern Illinois University women's basketball team looks to remain perfect in the month of January Wednesday night when it hosts the Central Michigan Chippewas at the NIU Convocation Center. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m. with the game being broadcast on ESPN3.
 
NIU (4-5, 2-2 MAC) won its second straight game last Saturday in a 78-71 victory at Bowling Green, which entered the game at 4-0 in the Mid-American Conference. The Huskies shot 62.5 percent from the field in the second quarter to take a 41-31 halftime lead. NIU held Bowling Green to 4-for-29 from the three-point line and outrebounded the Falcons 46-33.
 
Chelby Koker (Racine, Wis./Shoreland Lutheran) led four Huskies in double figure scoring with 18 points, adding seven rebounds, four assists and two steals. Koker enters Wednesday's contest as the leading free throw shooter in the MAC at 93.3 percent. Paulina Castro (Elgin, Ill./Harvest Christian) made a career-high five three-pointers on her way to a career-high 15 points.
 
Junior forward Emily Meinert (Galesburg, Ill./Parkland College) also had 15 points in the win at Bowling Green last Saturday, her season high to go with a season-high nine rebounds. Meinert was a perfect 3-for-3 from the three-point arc against the Falcons. She is the fifth different Huskie to score in double figures off the bench this season. NIU's bench is averaging 24.8 points per game this season.
 
Wednesday night's game features the top-two three-point shooting teams in the MAC. Central Michigan is averaging 11.56 three-pointers per game with NIU averaging 10.22 threes per game. The two teams are also 1-2 in the league in three-point field goal percentage defense with the Chippewas first (27.4) and Huskies second (28.0). The MAC's top three three-point shooters, by percentage, will be in action as well in Central Michigan's Maddy Watters (1st - 54.9) and Micaela Kelly (38.9) as well as NIU's Janae Poisson (Matteson, Ill./Marian Catholic) (2nd - 43.4).
 
Central Michigan (7-2, 5-0 MAC) was selected in the preseason as the favorites to win the MAC in the preseason head coaches' poll. The Chippewas stayed perfect in the conference last Saturday with a 79-63 win at Buffalo. Central Michigan made 12 threes and shot 45.9 percent from the field. The Chippewas lead the MAC with 11.56 three-pointers per game, a 45.7 percent field goal percentage, and a 78.2 percent free throw percentage. Senior guard Micaela Kelly is third in the MAC in scoring, averaging 22.3 points per game.
 
Although fans are unable to attend NIU basketball games this season, you can still make your presence felt in the NIU Convocation Center by purchasing a cutout as part of the "Huskie Howl" presented by First National Bank of Omaha (FNBO).
 
For just $60, fans can put their image on a cutout that will remain in place in the NIU Convocation Center for all NIU men's and women's basketball games during the 2020-21 season. Net proceeds from all fan cutouts will benefit the Huskie Athletic Fund. Click here to order your cutout.
 
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