DeKalb, Ill.- The Northern Illinois University women's basketball team ran away from Concordia University Chicago on Saturday in the Convocation Center as the Huskies won 98-32.  The Huskies never trailed the Cougars in the game.

In the game NIU allowed the fewest points it has since becoming an NCAA member in 1982. The previous record low was 35, which was set against Central Michigan on March 3, 2001.

The win was also the Huskies second largest margin of victory ever, with the largest being on Feb. 23, 1972, as the Huskies won 92-28 over Wheaton.

Redshirt freshman Brooke Blumenfeld (Northbrook, Ill. / Glenbrook North) paced the Huskies as she recorded a career high 21 points and six rebounds.

"We got a lot of good things out of this game," head coach Lisa Carlsen said. It's hard to play that first game out of the holidays and we needed one to shake off the rust… I was proud of everyone on the roster, we showed how versatile we can be as a team and what our roster has to offer."

Five Huskies scored in double digits as Blumenfeld led with 21, Brooke Stonebraker (Versailles, Ohio / Versailles) scored 15 and shot 7-8 from the field. Tara Stauffacher (Columbus, Wis. / Wisconsin) added 11 while Shannon Blacher (Burr Ridge, Ill., / Montini Catholic) and Moriah Prewitt (Urbandale, Iowa / Des Moines Christian) both scored 10.

"It was good scoring 21 points but my teammates are the reason that happened," Blumenfeld said. We had some really good passes, (Sidney) McCrea hit me in the post a few times and Moriah (Prewitt) had a few great entry passes to me as well."

The Huskies outrebounded the Cougars 65-29 as Maddy Fay (Palatine, Ill. / Fremd) added a career high 11 rebounds.

"We've talked a lot over the last few games about how critical rebounding is to our success, Carlsen said. We have to do a great job defensively to minimize opportunities for the other team and on the offensive end to have 24 offensive rebounds was impressive."

Overall, the Huskies shot 36-for-76 (47.4%) from the field and 20-for-27 (74.1) from the free throw line. Concordia was held to 13-for-62 (21%) from the field and attempted just three free throws, making two.

In the opening five minutes the Huskies took a 12-2 lead as Stonebraker added four while Kortney Drake (Wilton, Iowa / Kirkwood CC) made a three-pointer while Jayden Marable (Bolingbrook, Ill. / Bolingbrook) added an and-one.

The Huskies lead swelled to 15 at 24-9 as Blumenfeld already had nine in the opening quarter.

It was more of the same in the second quarter as NIU outscored the Cougars 27-6 in the quarter with points scored by eight Huskies.

In the second half the Huskies added 47 points while holding the Cougars to 17 as the lead swelled over 60 points.

The Huskies will now prepare to open Mid-American Conference play on Wednesday, January 3 in the Convocation Center at 6 p.m. against Eastern Michigan.

-- NIU --