DeKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University women's basketball team used a 9-2 run in the final 1:42 Monday night at the NIU Convocation Center to win the home opener 76-71 over the Indiana State Sycamores. Senior guard
Ashlynn Brooke's (Logansport, Ind./Ball State) three-point play with 0:28 to play put the Huskies up for good.
"I was really proud with our resiliency and resolve tonight," said head coach
Jacey Brooks after the season-opening win. "We have a solid group of returners and we have some great newcomers. To go out there and compete at that level and find a way to win showed me a lot."
Senior guard
Leah Middleton (Auburn, N.Y./Binghamton) led all scorers in her NIU debut with 22 points, going 7-for-11 from the field with three three-pointers. She was also 5-for-6 from the free throw line. Freshman
Laniah Davis (Michigan City, Ind./Marquette Catholic) had 20 points in her collegiate debut, 13 of which came in the second quarter.
"I'm super proud of our team," Middleton said. "It's always good to start the season with a home game. We showed our toughness and confidence tonight."
NIU (1-0) led Indiana State 54-47 going into the fourth quarter. The Sycamores opened the fourth on a 10-4 run capped by a Saroiya Ajomale tip-in to get within one, 58-57, with 5:55 to play. The Huskies responded with a 7-2 run over the next 2:22. Middleton scored five straight points as an
Anna Stromberg (Andover, Minn./Radford) layup stretched NIU's lead back to six, 65-59.
Indiana State (0-1) made one last run, going on a 10-2 run with eight points from Ajomale to take a 69-67 lead with 1:42 to play. It was the Sycamores' first lead of the game but didn't last long. A Middleton baseline jumper tied the game at 69-69 with 1:06 to go. Kristen McMillan's layup 30 seconds later made the score 71-69. It would be Indiana State's last lead of the night. Brooke drove to the basket and scored, getting fouled in the process, to tie the game at 71 with 0:28 left. Her free throw put NIU ahead 72-71. The Sycamores tried to take the lead on their next possession on an Aalyah Youngblood three, but the shot was off the mark with
Komari Booker (Indianapolis, Ind./Pike) grabbing the rebound. Middleton and Brooke went 4-for-4 at the free throw line in the final 0:14 to lock up the 76-71 victory.
"People stepped up at different times," Brooks said. "Our depth is going to be a big asset this year. You can't just home in on one or two players. That's what happened today. Laniah put us on her back in the second quarter. Both Laniah and Leah made some big plays down the stretch."
NIU held a slim 18-17 lead after the first quarter. The Huskies led 22-21 with 7:11 to go in the second when Davis scored 11 straight points, making three straight three-pointers to give NIU a 33-21 lead with 5:00 to go until halftime.
"When I saw the first one go in, I had a chance to get another open three," Davis said. "When that one went in, the third was a heat check."
Davis scored 13 of NIU's first 15 points in the second quarter. The Huskies took their largest lead of the game at the 3:20 mark as a
Nevaeh Wingate (Liverpool, N.Y./St. John's) three put NIU up by 15, 38-23.
The Huskies were 9-for-18 from the three-point line Monday night and shot 50.9 percent from the field. Indiana State shot 38.7 percent from the field and was just 5-for-27 from long range. Ajomale led the Sycamores with 17 points.
NIU goes on the road on Friday, Nov. 6 to take on the Bradley Braves. Tip-off is at 6 p.m. CT.
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