BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Northern Illinois University women's basketball team fell to Bowling Green, 72-54, on Wednesday night at the Stroh Center. The Huskies hot start was slowed in the second quarter as BGSU took a lead it wouldn't relinquish.
 
NIU (9-11, 3-6 MAC) scored 24 points in the opening quarter on 58.8% shooting and led 24-18. Jayden Marable (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook) scored seven in the opening 10 minutes, finishing with 11 points and a game-high seven rebounds. Brooke Stonebraker (Versailles, Iowa/Versailled) scored a team-high 15 points for the Huskies.
 
The Falcons (11-8, 5-4 MAC) opened the second quarter on an 18-0 run to take a 36-24 run as the Huskies were held scoreless until Stonebraker scored with 1:51 left before halftime. NIU trailed 40-26 at the intermission.
 
"The first quarter was probably one of our best quarters offensively," NIU head coach Lisa Carlsen said. "Then it was our worst quarter in the second quarter as Bowling Green really got more physical. They were better at doing what the game allowed, we didn't necessarily reciprocate that in the same way, and unfortunately it kind of got away from us."
 
Hot shooting sparked BGSU's rally as the Falcons shot 58.8% from the field in the contest, NIU finished the game shooting 37.9%. Bowling Green was led in scoring by Morgan Sharps with 22 points.
 
NIU's quick start began with Stonebraker who struck first for NIU 20 seconds in. Laura Nickel (Marshall, Wis/Marshall) then had two quick layups to push NIU ahead 6-5. Brooke Blumenfeld (Northbrook, Ill/Glenbrook North) scored the Huskies next six with two layups and a jump shot as Huskies led 12-10 with five minutes left in the first quarter.
 
Tara Stauffacher (Columbus, Wis./Wisconsin) drilled a three pointer and Marable scored twice late in the quarter to put the Huskies up 24-18 at the end of the first before Bowling Green took control in the second quarter.
 
Throughout the second half, the Huskies were unable to cut the lead back below double digits. The Falcons led 55-39 after three quarters as NIU played even with Bowling Green for much of the second half..
 
The Huskies get the weekend off before heading into the second half of MAC play. NIU will be back in action inside the Convocation Center on Wednesday, Feb. 7 at 6 p.m. against Ball State.
 
"We have talked about making sure we evaluate these first eight games, the league and where our shortcomings are," Carlsen said. "We will take a collective breath with a bye weekend. We will take a little time to self-reflect and then get back at it to work on ourselves for a couple of days before you jump in to prepare for Ball State."
 
Available for all weekend home games throughout the remainder of the basketball season, NIU Athletics is offering its new 2024 Pack. The new package includes four game tickets, four hot dogs, four chips and four sodas for just $40. 

 
The 2024 Pack can be purchased online at NIUHuskies.com/tickets using the promo code 2024PACK for any men's or women's Saturday home game this season. Game tickets for the 2024 Pack will be delivered digitally; on game day concession vouchers can be picked up at the NIU Convocation Center Box Office and redeemed at the arena concession stand at any time during the game.
 
-- NIU --