DeKALB, IL – The Northern Illinois University women's basketball team shot 45.6 percent from the field Saturday afternoon at the NIU Convocation Center but could not keep pace with the Bowling Green Falcons in an 82-73 loss.
Bowling Green (14-11, 8-6 MAC) shot 50 percent from the field and was 11-for-28 from the three-point line. NIU was 7-for-18 from long range and 14-for-20 from the free throw line. Amy Velasco led the Falcons, and all scorers, with 32 points and six steals.
Jayden Marable (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook) led NIU with 15 points.
Brooke Stonebraker (Versailles, Ohio/Versailles) and
Sidney McCrea (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Prairie) each had 13 points with Stonebraker adding a game-high nine rebounds.
"We knew we had our hands full defensively today, and I thought Bowling Green did a really nice job of being efficient," head coach
Lisa Carlsen said. "They hit some big shots from behind the arc, but the really did a great job of getting to the paint and finishing around the rim. We didn't get enough stops to give ourselves enough of a chance, especially in the fourth quarter."
The Falcons raced out to a 12-5 lead in the first 2:35 of the game, highlighted by three-pointers from Velasco and Paige Kohler. NIU got back within two at the 5:17 mark on a Stonebraker layup and a
Kortney Drake (Wilton, Iowa/Kirkwood CC) three. Bowling Green led 17-10 with 3:52 to go when NIU went on a 10-2 run to close the quarter and take a 20-19 lead.
Tara Stauffacher (Columbus, Wis./Wisconsin),
Grace Hunter (Monroeville, Ind./Bellmont) and McCrea each hit a three to cap a quarter where NIU was 5-for-7 from the three-point line.
NIU (13-13, 6-8 MAC) extended the run to a 14-2 run, scoring the first four points of the second quarter to take a 24-19 lead. The Huskies led 29-24 at the 7:40 mark when Velasco and Morgan Sharps combined to go on a 10-2 run over the next 1:33 to give the Falcons a 34-31 lead. The Huskies went back in front with 2:12 left in the first half as baskets from Marable and
Laura Nickel (Marshall, Wis./Marshall) gave NIU a 37-36 lead with 2:12 to go. Bowling Green held NIU scoreless for the remainder of the half, getting a Velasco triple and an Olivia Hill layup to take a 41-37 lead into the locker room.
Behind six straight Stonebraker points NIU tied the game at 43-43 with 6:21 left in the third quarter. Sharps knocked down a three with 6:00 to go to break the tie and start a 9-2 Falcons run that put Bowling Green up 52-45 with 4:02 to play in the quarter. The Huskies got within four points twice in the final three minutes of the third, making the score 56-52 going into the fourth. The Falcons pulled away in the final quarter, shooting 80 percent from the field as well as from the free throw line. Bowling Green took its largest lead of the game with 4:03 to go when a Velasco layup put the Falcons up by 13, 74-61.
"I was proud of our effort today," said head coach
Lisa Carlsen. "Our players gave us everything they could. It was just one of those games where the ball goes in the basket a little bit more for somebody rather than somebody else."
The Huskies outrebounded Bowling Green 36-30. The Falcons forced 16 NIU turnovers, turning those into 19 points.
NIU hosts Toledo on Wednesday, Feb. 28 at 6 p.m. in the final home game of the regular season at the NIU Convocation Center. For tickets, log on to NIUHuskies.com or call the NIU Athletics Ticket Office at 815-753-PACK (7225).
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