ATHENS, Ohio - Led by the second career double-double from senior forward Brooke Stonebraker (Versailles, Ohio/Versailles), the Northern Illinois University women's basketball team defeated the Ohio Bobcats 67-62 at Ohio's Convocation Center.

Stonebraker led all players with 16 points and 13 rebounds. The senior was 6-for-9 from the field and 4-for-5 from the free throw line. Her 13 rebounds marked the fourth time this season Stonebraker had double-digit rebounds.

"We had to get our post players going tonight because they're such an integral part of our offense," said head coach Lisa Carlsen. "We got better and better at that as the game went on, and we handled their physicality well. The team followed the game plan well. Our guards did a good job understanding where the ball needed to go."

Sidney McCrea (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Prairie) scored in double figures for the first time in four games with 13 points, making three three-pointers. Jayden Marable (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook) flirted with a triple-double, scoring seven points while tying season-highs with seven rebounds and eight assists.

NIU (8-6, 2-1 MAC) took an early 6-2 lead at the 8:04 mark of the first quarter on a pair of McCrea threes. Ohio cut the Huskies' advantage to one twice in the opening period, but a Brooke Blumenfeld (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North) layup with 4:19 to go sparked a 7-0 NIU run that put the Huskies ahead 18-10. The Bobcats scored the final five points of the quarter with a Kate Dennis three making the score 18-15. The Huskies took their largest lead of the first half with 1:56 to play in the second when a Jayde Van Hyfte (Annawan, Ill./Arizona State) basket put NIU up eight, 30-22. Just as in the first, the Bobcats scored the final four points of the second to make the score 30-26 at halftime.

Ohio took its first and only lead of the game with 5:49 remaining in the third. The Bobcats went on an 11-4 run over 4:00, capped by a Laylay Fantroy three, to take a 37-36 lead. NIU quickly took the advantage back with a 9-2 run, sparked by back-to-back Marable layups, to go up 45-39 on a Laura Nickel (Marshall, Wis./Marshall) three with 3:50 remaining in the quarter.

The Bobcats rallied back to tie the game at 51-51 early in the fourth quarter on back-to-back Kennedi Watkins layups. The Huskies then rattled off nine straight points with seven from Stonebraker and Tara Stauffacher (Columbus, Wis./Wisconsin) to take a 60-51 lead with 4:52 to play in the game. Ohio only got as close as four points the rest of the way.

"We've gotten a lot more consistent on the defensive end," Carlsen said. "This group knows what we're trying to accomplish and continue to battle."

NIU shot 42.4 percent from the field and 73.3 percent from the foul line. The Huskies held Ohio to 36.6 percent from the floor and outrebounded the Bobcats by 16, 47-31. NIU assisted on 20 of its 25 made baskets.

The Huskies are next in action on Sunday, Jan. 14 at Kent State. Tipoff is at 5 p.m. CT with the game telecast on CBS Sports Network.

—NIU—