DeKALB, IL – The Northern Illinois University women's basketball team wraps up its 2024-25 season on Saturday at Millett Hall against the Miami RedHawks. Tipoff is at 12 p.m. CT with the game being broadcast on ESPN+ as well as 94-9 FM WDKB locally and the NIU Huskies app.
NIU (13-16, 6-11 MAC) was knocked out of contention for the Mid-American Conference Tournament on Wednesday night. The Huskies' 79-70 loss, combined with wins by Western Michigan and Central Michigan, denied NIU a trip to Cleveland for the first time since 2020. NIU shot 50 percent from the field and the three-point line, but 18 turnovers led to 17 Rockets points.
Chelby Koker (Racine, Wis./Shoreland Lutheran) led all players with 24 points and four assists, going 7-for-11 from the field and 5-for-7 from the three-point arc. Koker scored 52 points in her final two games at the NIU Convocation Center, putting together back-to-back 20-point games since the 2022-23 season. The reigning MAC Player of the Week has averaged 17.8 points and 4.6 assists per game over the last 10 games. Koker is in the top-five in six different career statistical categories at NIU including points, assists and three-pointers made.
Sidney McCrea (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Prairie) was 4-for-6 from the three-point line on Wednesday night for 12 points off the bench. The redshirt-senior is seventh all-time at NIU in career three-point percentage at 37.2 percent and ninth with 162 three-pointers made. The Huskies were 9-for-18 from long range for the second straight game. NIU is now 10
th in the country in three-point percentage at 37.5 percent. Over the last eight games the Huskies have shot 42.1 percent from the arc.
Miami (18-10, 10-7) is coming off a 69-66 overtime loss to Central Michigan Wednesday night. The RedHawks needed two threes in the final minute of regulation to force extra time. Maya Chandler led Miami with 15 points as Enjulina Gonzalez and Amber Tretter each had 11. Gonzalez is fourth in the MAC in scoring at 16.8 points per game. Tretter is third in the MAC in rebounds with 9.0 per game.
The RedHawks lead the MAC in scoring defense at 57.6 points per game and field goal percentage defense at 37.2 percent. Miami also has a MAC-leading 11.4 steals per game. The RedHawks won the first meeting of the season 73-52 at the Convocation Center on Jan. 15. NIU swept last season's two meetings against Miami, winning each game by 10 points.
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