KENT, Ohio – The Northern Illinois University women's basketball team fell to the Kent State Golden Flashes, 76-58, on Wednesday night. The Huskies took a narrow 30-29 lead into the halftime break and led 35-33 but a 22-4 run to end the third quarter by Kent State put the Golden Flashes up by double digits and sunk the Huskies hopes.
 
"We couldn't stick the ball in the basket enough in the third quarter," NIU head coach Lisa Carlsen said. "I thought we took some quick shots and that led to opportunities for them in transition."
 
NIU (12-15, 5-10 MAC) was led by Alecia Doyle (Carterville, Ill./SEMO) with 21 points. Chelby Koker (Racine, Wis. Shoreland Lutheran) scored 13 points and with five assists. Brooke Stonebraker (Versailles, Ohio./Versailles) scored eight points and led the Huskies with six rebounds.
 
Dionna Gray paced Kent State in scoring with 14 points while adding nine rebounds.   
 
Early baskets from Stonebraker and Koker pushed the Huskies ahead 4-0 inside the first two minutes. After a Kent State basket, Laura Nickel (Marshall, Wis./Marshall) and Doyle scored to push NIU ahead 8-2 four minutes in. A layup and a pair of free throws from the Golden Flashes made it 8-6 at the first media timeout. A 9-2 run after the break gave NIU a 17-8 lead with a Koker jumper capping off the run. A 5-0 run by Kent State to end the quarter cut the Huskies lead to 16-13.
 
Kent State tied the game up at 16 early in the second before a Doyle jumper put NIU back ahead. The Huskies and Golden Flashes stayed close throughout the second quarter. Kent State took the lead 29-28 briefly before a pair of Koker free throws pushed NIU in front 30-29 at the half.
 
The Huskies led 35-33 a few minutes into the second half before a 9-0 Kent State run pushed the Golden Flashes ahead 42-35 with four minutes left in the quarter. A layup and a three from Bridget Dunn increased that run to 14-0 and to put Kent State in front 47-35. The Kent State lead grew to 55-39 heading to the fourth as the Golden Flashes outscored NIU 26-9 in the quarter.  
 
The Huskies were unable to rally back in the fourth quarter.
 
NIU will be back in action as it hosts Bowling Green for Senior Day at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 1 in the first half of NIU's doubleheader. Tickets for the game are available now at NIUHuskies.com/tickets.