Women's Basketball | December 6

DeKALB, IL – The Northern Illinois University women's basketball team opens its December slate on Saturday afternoon, heading to Columbia, Mo. to take on the Missouri Tigers at 2 p.m.
 
The game will be broadcast on WDKB 94-9 FM, TuneIn and the NIU Huskies app as well as SEC Network+.
 
NIU (3-3) made a second-half rally against the UIC Flames but could not hold off a late UIC run in a 69-66 loss at the Convocation Center on Nov. 27. Chelby Koker (Racine, Wis./Shoreland Lutheran) led the Huskies with 16 points, adding three rebounds and four assists. In her first three games this season Koker is averaging 14.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game. NIU got a lift off the bench from redshirt-sophomore forward Brooke Blumenfeld (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North) who scored 12 points in 24 minutes.
 
The Huskies are sixth in the nation in three-point percentage at 41.2 percent, and also lead the Mid-American Conference with 7.8 three-pointers per game. NIU has made at least six threes in 10 of its last 12 games dating back to last season. Sidney McCrea (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Prairie) has made a three-pointer in 14 straight games. She enters Saturday's game second in the MAC in three-point percentage at 42.4 percent and fourth with 2.33 three-pointers per game.
 
Missouri (8-3) won its third consecutive game Thursday night in a 68-61 win over SMU at Mizzou Arena. The Tigers shot 50 percent from the field in the first quarter to take a 21-16 lead, holding SMU to 4-for-15. Sophomore guard Grace Slaughter led Missouri with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Abbey Schreacke added 16 points off the bench. Slaughter leads the Tigers in scoring at 14.7points per game, shooting over 50 percent from the field and the three-point line. Senior forward Laniah Randle averages a team-high 7.3 rebounds per game. Missouri is averaging 71.1 points per game and allowing 57.3 points per game.
 
Saturday's game is the fourth meeting all-time between NIU and Missouri. The Tigers have won all three meetings, winning 47-44 on Dec. 14, 2014.
 
After final exams, the Huskies go to Lexington, Ky. to face Indiana State on Dec. 15 and Eastern Kentucky on Dec. 17.
 
--NIU--