ATHENS, Ohio- The Northern Illinois University women's basketball team had five players in double figures but were unable to overcome the Ohio Bobcats on Wednesday night. The Huskies had looks to take the lead and tie the game in the closing moments of the game but shots rimmed out and the Bobcats were able to close out the game at the free throw line.
 
NIU (12-13, 5-8 MAC) was led by Alecia Doyle (Carterville, Ill./SEMO) with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Lexi Carlsen (Sycamore, Ill./Sycamore) and Brooke Stonebraker (Versailles, Ohio./Versailles) both scored 13 points. Chelby Koker (Racine, Wis./Shoreland Lutheran) and Brooke Blumenfeld (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North) each had 10.
 
"I thought for the most part we had some decent looks. In a tightly contested ball game like tonight that's all you can ask for," NIU head coach Lisa Carlsen said. "There were times where we didn't do a great job taking care of the ball. We improved on defense but that game is a tough one to swallow. I'm proud of our fight but we need to put a full 40 together."
 
Ohio was led by Kennedi Watkins with 23 points and Bailey Tabeling with 16 points. Anyssa Jones added 12.
 
The Bobcats started out up 2-0 before an 8-0 NIU run, started by two threes from Lexi Carlsen and a two from Stonebraker, forced a timeout with the Huskies up 8-2 early on. After an Ohio basket, Koker knocked down the Huskies third three to push NIU ahead 11-5 as Laura Nickel (Marshall, Wis./Marshall) drained a three to put the Huskies at 4-of-4 from deep and ahead 14-7 with 6:32 left in the first.
 
Lexi Carlsen knocked down her third three of the opening minutes before a quick six-point run by the Bobcats cut the lead to just 17-15 halfway through the first quarter. Ohio drew the game even at 19 before back-to-back baskets by Blumenfeld pushed NIU back ahead by four with under two minutes to play in the first. NIU led 23-21 after one quarter of play.
 
Doyle got the scoring started in the second quarter before a 10-0 Bobcat run pushed Ohio ahead 31-27. The Bobcats continued the run as they increased their lead to 40-33. Doyle banked in a three to cut the deficit to four at the media timeout with 2:40 remaining in the half. Ohio maintained the lead in the second quarter and took a 45-39 lead over NIU into the break.
 
Ohio scored the first five points of the third quarter to extend their lead to 50-39. A 12-4 run that included a Koker three cut NIU's deficit to just three. Lexi Carlsen evened the game at 56 and Blumenfeld gave the Huskies their first lead since early in the second quarter as NIU moved ahead 58-56 with two minutes to play in the third quarter. A buzzer beater from Watkins tied the game up at 58 heading to the final quarter.
 
Koker briefly pushed NIU ahead to start the fourth before Tabeling and Cassidy Lafler pushed the Bobcats back into the lead. NIU kept it close as Doyle scored seven straight points for the Huskies to keep NIU within one, 68-67, with five minutes remaining.
 
The scoring slowed down as NIU trailed 70-69 with two minutes to play as Lexi Carlsen couldn't knock down a look from three. NIU again had a look with 15 seconds left but the ball rimmed out and the Huskies had to foul. Tabeling made both free throws to put the Bobcats up by three with 12.7 seconds to play. Doyle's look to tie rimmed out and Lexi Carlsen was fouled as she attempted the put back. Lexi Carlsen missed the first but made the second free throw with 4.7 seconds remaining. After a foul, Tabeling again sunk both free throws to put the Huskies away, 74-70.
 
NIU will be back in action in the first half of the Cram the Convo doubleheader against EMU on Saturday, Feb. 22. The game is set for a 1 p.m. tip-off and tickets are available now at NIUHuskies.com/tickets.