DeKALB, IL – The Northern Illinois University women's basketball team opens a brief two-game homestand Saturday against the Mid-American Conference leaders Ball State at 1 p.m. The game is the first of a doubleheader at the NIU Convocation Center with the NIU men's basketball team also taking on Ball State at 3:30 p.m.
 
Tickets are on sale now at NIUHuskies.com/tickets or by calling the NIU Athletics Ticket Office at 815-753-PACK (7225). Both basketball games Saturday will be broadcast on WDKB 94-9 FM and ESPN+.
 
NIU will be celebrating the 125^th anniversary of Huskie Athletics on Saturday with garden flags of the 125^th anniversary logo being given away at the marketing table while supplies last. The $5 Kids Combo is also available for Saturday's doubleheader, which includes a hot dog, a bag of chips and a small soft drink or water for just $5 for kids ages 13 and under.
 
The Huskies got back in the win column Wednesday night with a 78-70 victory at Eastern Michigan. NIU shot 56 percent from the field in the final three quarters to erase a 20-13 first quarter deficit. The Huskies shot 50.9 percent from the field for the game and was 10-for-21 from the three-point arc. NIU leads the MAC in three-point shooting at 36.1 percent, which puts the Huskies 24^th in the country from long range. Wednesday night's game was the third time this season NIU shot over 50 percent from the field.
 
Four Huskies scored in double figures Wednesday night led by Chelby Koker's (Racine, Wis./Shoreland Lutheran) season-high 23 points. She also led all players with nine rebounds and six assists. In her last eight games, Koker is averaging 13.9 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.75 assists per game. Lexi Carlsen (Sycamore, Ill./Sycamore) was 5-for-6 from the three-point line against Eastern Michigan and tied a season-high with 17 points. Senior guard Laura Nickel (Marshall, Wis./Marshall) tied her career-high in scoring with 14 points, adding six rebounds and four assists.
 
Ball State is the lone unbeaten team in MAC play, entering Saturday's game 15-4 on the season and 7-0 in the league. The Cardinals have won nine straight games after a 77-63 win over Toledo on Monday. Ally Becki led Ball State with 26 points and nine assists. Becki leads the MAC in assists with 5.9 per game as well as field goal percentage at 45.8 percent.
 
NIU has won the last two meetings against the Cardinals, both at the Convocation Center. Last season the Huskies ended Ball State's 14-game winning streak with a 76-71 overtime victory.
 
Following Saturday's game, the Huskies host Central Michigan on Wednesday, Jan. 29 at 6 p.m.
 
--NIU--