MUNCIE, Ind. - The Northern Illinois University women's basketball team cut a 12-point Ball State lead down to four with 6:29 to go in Wednesday night's game at Worthen Arena, but could not get closer as the Cardinals remained perfect at home with a 76-68 win over the Huskies.

Graduate guard Janae Poisson (Matteson, Ill./Marian Catholic) led all scorers with 19 points, making five three-pointers. She was also a perfect 4-for-4 at the free throw line. A'Jah Davis (DeKalb, Ill./Montverde Academy [Fla.]) had her 13th double-double of the year with 12 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. Laura Nickel (Marshall, Wis./Marshall [HS]) was the third Huskie in double-figure scoring with 10 points.

"We've talked for the last couple weeks that we just have to put all the pieces back together," said head coach Lisa Carlsen. "I think there was a lot of good things that I saw on the floor from a lot of different people. If we can continue to do that and fight the way we did on both ends of the floor, there's good things ahead for this team."

Ball State (18-4, 8-1 MAC) took its largest lead of the game at the 6:50 mark of the third quarter. A Thelma dis Agustsdottir three put the Cardinals up 12, 53-41. NIU then went on an 8-0 run over the next 3:27, getting within four 53-49 on threes by Poisson and Jayden Marable (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook). Ball State scored the final four points of the quarter to take a 57-49 lead into the fourth.

NIU (10-10, 2-7 MAC) got back into the game with six of the first eight points in the final quarter. Highlighted by another Marable three, NIU got within four points once again, 59-55 with 6:29 to play. The two teams traded baskets until the 4:48 mark when an Anna Clephane jumper and Madelyn Bischoff three put the Cardinals up nine, 68-59, with 4:48 remaining. The Huskies made one last run in the final three minutes. NIU went on a 7-2 run, highlighted by a Chelby Koker (Racine, Wis./Shoreland Lutheran) three-pointer, to close within four at 72-68 with 0:53 seconds left. That would be as close as NIU would get.

"I thought we fought hard for the full 40 minutes," Carlsen said. "I saw a lot of trust in each other, and the battle that we put together for a complete game tonight gives me great hope for the second half of the MAC [Mid-American Conference] season."

The Cardinals opened the game on a 7-0 run, but two threes from Poisson helped tie the game 9-9 at the 5:12 mark of the first quarter. Poisson's third three of the quarter gave the Huskies' their first lead, 12-11, with 4:04 to go. NIU led 16-13 following a Koker layup at the 2:23 mark, but Ball State scored the final four points of the quarter to take an 18-17 lead. The Cardinals used a 10-2 run early in the second to take a 27-20 lead with 7:10 remaining until halftime.

Trailing 37-29, NIU went on an 8-0 run sparked by threes from Poisson and Emma Carter (Bristol, Vt./Franklin Pierce) to tie the game at 37-37 with 1:33 to play in the half. Ball State closed the half with the last five points, as an Anna Clephane three-point play with 1.1 seconds left gave the Cardinals a 42-37 halftime advantage.

Ball State shot 52.5 percent from the field, but just 32 percent from the three-point line. NIU made 10 three-pointers on the night and shot 39 percent from the field. The Huskies outrebounded the Cardinals 35-32 and had 17 assists on 23 made field goals. Clephane led Ball State with 16 points as Bischoff added 15.

NIU goes on the road Saturday, Feb. 4 to take on Buffalo. Tip-off at Alumni Arena is at 1 p.m. CT.

—NIU—