ATHENS, Ohio - The Northern Illinois University women's basketball team came back from 10 points down to the Ohio Bobcats in the third quarter Saturday to take a 39-38 lead, but the Bobcats went on an 11-3 run to take back the lead and hung on for a 66-62 win at the Ohio Convocation Center.

"Our second half was really good on both ends of the floor," said head coach Jacey Brooks. "I was really happy with our effort. I'm not a big moral victories person, but the fact that we competed for 40 minutes was great to see and is another step in the process."

Freshman guard Sa'Mahn Johnson (Columbus, Ohio/Reynoldsburg) led NIU with 16 points, going 6-for-11 from the field with three three-pointers. She accounted for all of the Huskies' bench points Saturday.

"We've talked about letting the game come to her and she did that today," Brooks said about Johnson's performance. "She had a lot of family and friends here to see her play. Sa'Mahn stepped up and made her open shots."

NIU (3-14, 1-5 MAC) trailed 31-22 at halftime and got an early three from Emilie Sorensen (Waukee, Iowa/Waukee) to get within six. Ohio answered with layups from Bella Ranallo and Bailey Tabeling to go up 35-25 with 8:34 to go in the third, the Bobcats' largest lead of the game. Nevaeh Wingate (Liverpool, N.Y./St. John's) sparked NIU's rally back into the game with back-to-back baskets to get the Huskies within six, 35-29, with 6:53 to go. After an Asiah Baxter three, NIU went on a 10-0 run to take a 39-38 lead at the 3:20 mark. Nadechka Laccen (San Juan, Puerto Rico/St. Bonaventure) scored seven of the 10 points in that stretch, including the last two that put the Huskies in front.

Ohio (11-5, 5-1 MAC) and NIU traded baskets with a Maria Serracanta (Sabadell, Spain/Mercer) tying the game at 43-43 with 2:00 to go. The Bobcats scored the final five points of the quarter, which rolled into an 11-3 run as Tabeling made back-to-back threes to give Ohio a 54-46 lead with 6:46 to go. NIU tried to chip away at the Bobcats' advantage but Ohio stayed in front by making its free throws. Johnson scored NIU's last seven points in the game, getting NIU within four with a layup with 0:07 left that made the final score 66-62.

"Ohio has a lot of experience and those players stepped up and made plays," said Brooks. "I hope the team believes that when we want to get a stop on the defensive end, we can put our heads down and force a tough shot. We fought to the literal end. I was happy with our balance offensively. We had four players score in double figures. It was big step forward for us."

NIU led 11-9 after the first quarter. The Huskies fell behind 7-2 early but closed with a 9-2 run capped by a Johnson three-pointer. NIU held on to an 18-17 lead midway through the second quarter before Ohio's ReRe Jennings sparking a 10-2 Ohio run with eight straight points to give the Bobcats a 28-19 advantage.

The Huskies had four players score in double figures for the first time this season. Laccen had 15 points and tied a career-high with seven assists. Sorensen made four three-pointers and scored 14 points. Wingate scored in double figures for the seventh straight game with 10 points, adding six rebounds and three steals. Teresa Mbemba (Benguela, Angola/Presbyterian) led all players with a career-high 13 rebounds.

NIU shot 46.9 percent from the field in the second half, and 40.7 percent for the game. The Huskies tied a season-high with eight three-pointers and outrebounded Ohio 44-30. Tabeling led the Bobcats with 15 points as Jennings had 14 off the bench.

The Huskies start a stretch of six out of eight games at the NIU Convocation Center on Wednesday, Jan. 21 against Western Michigan. TIp-off is at 6 p.m. CT. For tickets, log on to NIUHuskies.com/tickets or call the NIU Athletics Ticket Office at 815-753-PACK (7225).

—NIU—