Women's Basketball | November 21

DeKALB, IL – Fresh off a 3-0 homestand, the Northern Illinois University women's basketball team opens a five-game road trip Tuesday afternoon against the Detroit Mercy Titans at Calihan Hall. Tip-off is at 3 p.m. CT with the game broadcast on ESPN+ as well as 94-9 WDKB and the NIU Huskies app.
 
NIU (3-1) won its third consecutive game last Thursday night with a 100-61 rout of Western Illinois at the NIU Convocation Center. It was the Huskies' eighth straight win on their home floor. NIU made a school record 21 three-pointers in the game, breaking the previous record of 18 set in a win at Eastern Illinois on Dec. 4, 2020. NIU shot 49.3 percent from the field and turned 18 Leathernecks turnovers into 26 points.
 
Janae Poisson (Matteston, Ill./Marian Catholic) led NIU with a career-high 32 points and nine three-pointers. She scored 17 points in the third quarter, tied for the second-most in a quarter in program history. Entering the game needing 30 points to reach 1,000 for her career, Poisson eclipsed that milestone with her ninth three of the game. Her ninth three also gave her 200 for her career, making Poisson the fifth Huskie to reach 200 career three-pointers. She is the second player in Division I to make nine threes in a game this season. Poisson leads NIU with 17 points per game and is shooting 48.6 percent from the three-point arc.
 
The Huskies assisted on 26 of 36 made baskets in the win over Western Illinois. Chelby Koker (Racine, Wis./Shoreland Lutheran) and Jayden Marable (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook) combined for 15 assists while committing just one turnover. Koker is averaging 5.3 assists per game to start the season with a 2.3 assist/turnover ratio. Marable's six assists tied a career-high. The last time NIU had at least 25 assists in a game was Dec. 21, 2018 when the Huskies had 29 in a 114-52 win over Chicago State.
 
The Titans are 1-2 on the year after winning their home opener 70-65 over Canisius on Nov. 13. Detroit Mercy held the Golden Griffins to nine points in both the first and third quarters to build a 57-37 lead. Irene Murua led the Titans with a double-double of 16 points and 11 rebounds. Imani McNeal added 14 point and nine rebounds. Amaya Burch and Emma Trawally Porta each had 12 points. Burch leads Detroit Mercy in scoring at 12.7 points per game. The Titans average 62.7 points per game but have a +16.4 rebound margin through three games.
 
Detroit Mercy leads the all-time series with NIU 6-4. The Huskies won the last meeting between the two teams on Dec. 28, 2000 72-61.
 
NIU continues its road trip Nov. 26-27 at the Navy Classic.

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