DeKALB, Ill. - The Northern Illinois University women's basketball team fell to the Ohio Bobcats 71-55 in the Huskies' Mid-American Conference home opener inside the NIU Convocation Center on Saturday.

The Huskies kept the game tight throughout until Ohio's fourth quarter run helped pull the Bobcats away from NIU. 

"We let Ohio get hot early from deep, and we talked a lot about not letting that happen," head coach Lisa Carlsen said. "On the defensive end anytime you let someone get going early it can be a long afternoon. I think that is what we saw, they're a very capable ball club especially shooting the three."

NIU (7-6, 1-1 MAC) was led in scoring by Lexi Carlsen (Sycamore, Ill./Sycamore) with a career high 17 points. Carlsen drained five three-pointers on 13 attempts. Brooke Stonebraker (Versailles, Ohio/Versailles) scored 13 and grabbed eight rebounds for NIU. That tied for the most rebounds for the Huskies with Alecia Doyle (Carterville, Ill./SEMO) and Chelby Koker (Racine, Wis./Shoreland Lutheran).

Bailey Tabeling led the effort for Ohio with 28 points and eight rebounds. Kennedi Watkins scored 17 for the Bobcats.

Ohio knocked down 13 three pointers in the game including four in the first and fourth quarter.

Ohio (3-9, 1-1 MAC) jumped out to an early lead in the first quarter. The Bobcats went ahead 9-2 before a Lexi Carlsen three to make the score 9-5 with 6:26 to play in the first. Kate Dennis responded for Ohio with her second three of the first quarter to push Ohio ahead 12-5. Ohio led by as much as 11 at 18-7 late in the quarter. A three-pointer by Sidney McCrea (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Prairie) sprung a 6-0 run that was finished by an

Alecia Doyle layup and a Brooke Stonebraker free throw to cut the Huskie deficit to 18-13 after the first quarter.

In the second quarter NIU used another Carlsen three to cut Ohio's lead to just three at 22-19. The Bobcats extended their lead to as much as 13 with a 10-0 scoring run over nearly four minutes. In the closing minutes of the second quarter Carlsen and Stonebraker scored the final four points of the half to cut the Bobcats lead at the break to nine at 32-23. 

Doyle opened the second half with a quick three-pointer to cut the deficit to six. Carlsen then drained another three on the ensuing possession to cut NIU's deficit to just three at 32-29. Kennedi Watkins immediately pushed Ohio back up by six with a three before Dennis pushed Ohio back up by eight at 37-29. Blumenfeld and Doyle then cut that deficit back to 37-33 with 6:54 to play in the third quarter. Ohio responded with a 5-0 run to get back ahead by nine at 42-33.

Carlsen drained a three with an assist from Stonebraker in the closing seconds of the third quarter to make the score 49-43 in Ohio's favor heading to the final quarter. In the opening six minutes of the fourth quarter Ohio outscored the Huskies 16-4 to take a 65-47 lead. NIU was unable to bounce back in the closing four minutes as the Bobcats claimed the 71-55 win.

NIU returns to action on Wednesday, Jan. 8 when the Huskies head to Akron. That game is set for a 5 p.m. tipoff at James A. Rhodes Arena.
 
-- NIU --