Women's Basketball | January 26

DeKALB, IL – The Northern Illinois University women's basketball team is back in action Wednesday when it travels to Akron for an 11 a.m. matchup at James A. Rhodes Arena. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
 
NIU (6-6, 4-3 MAC) had its four-game winning streak snapped last Wednesday in a 67-62 loss at Toledo. The Huskies led 50-45 through three quarters but were held to 22.2 percent shooting from the field in the fourth quarter as the Rockets outscored NIU 22-2 to come away with the win.
 
Sophomore guard Chelby Koker (Racine, Wis./Shoreland Lutheran) led all players with 20 points and nine rebounds in the game. It was her seventh 20-point effort of the season. She was a perfect 6-for-6 from the foul line to move back atop the Mid-American Conference in free throw percentage at 92.1 percent. Koker is 16^th in the nation in free throw percentage and 26^th in scoring at 20.3 points per game.
 
Redshirt-Junior guard Errin Hodges (Pontiac, Ill./Evansville Central [Ind.]) scored in double figures for the third time in four games with 10 points at Toledo. She also had seven rebounds. Hodges is averaging 11.3 points and 5.0 rebounds per game over the last four, shooting 58.8 percent from the field.
 
The Huskies remain one of the top three-point shooting teams in the nation. NIU is tied for fifth in the country with 10.2 three-point field goals per game and 12^th in three-point field goal percentage at 38.6 percent. The Huskies have shot 40 percent or better from long range five times this season. Redshirt-Junior Janae Poisson (Matteson, Ill./Marian Catholic) leads the MAC in three-point percentage at 47.6 percent. She was 3-for-4 from the three-point arc at Toledo and scored 11 points.
 
NIU leads the all-time series against Akron 23-10. The Huskies have won three straight games against the Zips including last season's 70-65 win at Akron. The Zips are 4-7 on the season, 1-7 in conference after a 92-69 loss to Central Michigan last Saturday. Kendall Miller and Rachel Martindale each had 12 points for Akron in the game. Senior forward Jordyn Dawson leads Akron with 15.7 points and 7.4 rebounds per game.
 
The Huskies are back in action at the NIU Convocation Center on Saturday, Jan. 30 against the Miami RedHawks at 1 p.m. 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.
 
--NIU--