DeKALB, IL – The Kent State Golden Flashes shot 67 percent from the field in the first quarter to build a 27-13 lead against the Northern Illinois University women's basketball team Wednesday night at the NIU Convocation Center, running away to an 82-61 win.
 
Senior guard Chelby Koker (Racine, Wis./Shoreland Lutheran) led the Huskies with 21 points, going 9-for-9 at the free throw line. It was her third straight game with at least 20 points. A'Jah Davis (DeKalb, Ill./Montverde Academy [Fla.]) recorded her Mid-American Conference-leading 12th double-double of the season with 15 points and a game-high 12 rebounds. Sidney McCrea (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Prairie) scored a season-high 12 points off the bench, making three three-pointers.
 
Kent State (12-6, 4-3 MAC) got out to an 11-4 lead in the first three minutes, with Lindsey Thall scoring the first eight points for the Golden Flashes. After a Davis layup got NIU within five, a Corynne Hauser three sparked a 10-0 Kent State run that put the visitors ahead 21-6 with 2:30 to go in the first. NIU closed the gap to 11 with 1:12 left in the opening quarter when a Koker three made the score 24-13. Thall converted a three-point play in the final minute to give the Golden Flashes a 27-13 lead. Kent State was 10-for-15 from the field in the first quarter and was 6-for-7 from the three-point line.
 
NIU (10-8, 2-5 MAC) chipped away at Kent State's lead, scoring eight of the first 13 points in the second quarter to get within 11, 32-21, with 6:56 to go until halftime. The Huskies closed the gap to four with 4:14 to go. NIU went on a 10-2 run over 1:47, punctuated by a McCrea triple, to make the score 35-31. McCrea scored five points in the run with Koker adding her second three of the night. Kent State responded with a 14-3 run to close the quarter and take a 49-34 lead into halftime.
 
"Kent State came out and shot the ball really well and we couldn't keep pace," said head coach Lisa Carlsen. "Unfortunately, we put ourselves in a big hole to start and it takes a lot to get out of it. I thought we did a decent job on the glass and taking care of the basketball. We had kids that went out there tonight and gave great effort, but it has to also go with execution."
 
The Huskies made one last run to try and get back in the game in the third quarter. After Kent State took a 60-40 lead with 5:18 to play in the period, NIU closed with a 7-2 run to get within 15. The Huskies got it done at the free throw line with Davis, Koker and McCrea combining to go 5-for-6. A Jayden Marable (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook) layup in the final seconds made the score 62-47. Koker scored NIU's first five points of the fourth as the lead cut down to 12, 64-52, with 8:19 to go. The Huskies would only get as close as 11 points the rest of the way.
 
NIU shot under 30 percent from the field for just the second time this season, shooting 29.7 percent Wednesday night. Kent State shot 54.9 percent for the game and 45.8 percent from long range. The Huskies outrebounded the Golden Flashes 41-36 and only committed 10 turnovers. Thall led all scorers with 26 points.
 
The Huskies host Bowling Green on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 1 p.m. at the NIU Convocation Center for Diversity and Inclusion Day. It is also the first game of a doubleheader with the NIU men's basketball team taking on Ball State at 3:30 p.m. For tickets, log on to NIUHuskies.com or call the NIU Athletics Ticket Office at (815) 753-PACK (7225).
 
--NIU--