Women's Basketball | November 23
DeKALB, IL - The Northern Illinois University women's basketball team looks to build on one of the best defensive performances in program history Monday night as the Chicago State Cougars come to the NIU Convocation Center. Tip-off is at 6 p.m. CT.
Tickets are on sale now at NIUHuskies.com/tickets and by calling the NIU Athletics Ticket Office at 815-753-PACK (7225). Monday's game is Student Appreciation Night, with a free concessions combo giveaway for students redeemable at the Marketing table while supplies last and half price drinks and $2 popcorn available at the concession stand for students with their One Card. There will also be postgame autographs with the Huskies.
NIU (1-4) earned its first win of the season on Friday night with a 49-30 win at SIUE. The Huskies held the Cougars to 19.4 percent from the field and 3-for-20 from the three-point arc. After trailing 17-7 at the end of the first quarter, NIU held SIUE to 3-for-37 from the field in the final 30 minutes including an 0-for-12 in the second quarter.
The 30 points allowed the lowest by NIU against another D-I opponent since becoming an NCAA program in 1982. The 10 field goals allowed and 19.5 percent field goal percentage allowed are the lowest since at least 1990.
Nadechka Laccen (San Juan, Puerto Rico/St. Bonaventure) led all scorers with 17 points, adding five rebounds, two assists and a steal. She scored all seven of NIU's points in the first quarter and had six more in the fourth to put the game away. Laccen has scored in double figures in three of the last four games, averaging 14.5 points per game in that stretch.
Nevaeh Wingate (Liverpool, N.Y./St. John's) had her first career double-double at SIUE with 13 points and a career-high 12 rebounds. Five of her boards came on the offensive glass. Wingate has scored in double figures in four of the Huskies' first five games this season and leads the team with 13.6 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.
Chicago State is 1-4 on the season after an 86-75 loss at Western Illinois on Nov. 17. The Cougars held the Leathernecks to 2-for-13 from the three-point line but Western Illinois was 24-for-32 from the free throw line and shot 50.8 percent from the field. Chicago State shot 46.0 percent from the field and was 7-for- 14 from long range. Keona McGee led the Cougars with 16 points. Marisa Gant had 15 points off the bench. Chicago State is averaging 58.6 points per game and allowing over 85 per game. The Cougars were picked to finish third in the NEC Preseason Poll behind Fairleigh Dickinson and Stonehill.
After Monday's game, NIU is on the road for its next six games starting with a game at Evansville on Sunday, Nov. 30 at 3 p.m.
—NIU—
