Women's Basketball | November 8
DeKALB, IL – The Northern Illinois University women's basketball team will open its 2021-22 campaign at the NIU Convocation Center this Tuesday night against the Illinois State Redbirds. Tip-off is at 6 p.m. with the game broadcast on ESPN+ and locally on WLBK 98.9 FM/1360 AM.
NIU had four players score in double figures in the Huskies' exhibition opener against Benedictine on Oct. 29, an 87-41 victory.
Errin Hodges (Pontiac, Ill./Evansville Central [Ind.]) led all scorers with 16 points off the bench with sophomore
Jayden Marable (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook) adding 14. The duo combined to go 12-for-15 from the field.
Janae Poisson (Matteson, Ill./Marian Catholic) and
Chelby Koker (Racine, Wis./Shoreland Lutheran) each had 11 points in the exhibition win. Poisson returns as the reigning Mid-American Conference Sixth Player of the Year. Last season the redshirt-senior led the MAC in three-point field goal percentage at 45.1 percent, which was ninth-best in the country. Koker was named to the Preseason All-MAC Second Team last week. The junior guard led NIU last year with 21.1 points and 3.75 assists per game, shooting 37.9 percent from long range and a MAC-leading 89.4 percent from the free throw line.
Illinois State is one of five teams on NIU's schedule that played in the postseason last season. The Redbirds went 16-8 in the 2020-21 season, finishing third in the Missouri Valley Conference and earning a berth in the postseason WNIT. Illinois State leads the all-time series with NIU 16-9, winning the last meeting 69-66 at Redbird Arena on Nov. 20, 2019. The Huskies won the last game played between the two teams in DeKalb 108-66 on Nov. 26, 2016.
Masks are required at all times for those in attendance at the NIU Convocation Center for men's and women's basketball games unless eating or drinking. A clear bag policy has been instituted for both Huskie Stadium and the NIU Convocation Center. No large bags or purses will be permitted for NIU football, volleyball or men's and women's basketball games. Approved bags include one clear plastic 12"x12"x6" stadium bag or a one-gallon clear plastic storage bag or one clutch purse size 4.5"x6.5" or smaller.
Tuesday night's game is Faculty and Staff Appreciation Night. All NIU faculty and staff can purchase a $4 ticket at the following
link with the promo code NIUFACULTYSTAFF. Season tickets for the 2021-22 women's basketball season start at just $35 for general admission. Tickets can be purchased online at NIUHuskies.com/MyHuskies or by calling the NIU Athletics Ticket Office at 815-753-PACK (7225). Courtside tickets are also available through the Huskie Athletic Fund or by calling 815-753-1923.
--NIU--
