BOWLING GREEN, Ohio - The Northern Illinois University women's basketball team closed the 2025-26 season on Saturday with a 77-66 loss to the Bowling Green Falcons at Stroh Center.

"I was proud of our effort today," said head coach Jacey Brooks. "It's always a tough game when you know your season is coming to a close. We played with a sense of pride and for each other."

Junior forward Nevaeh Wingate (Liverpool, N.Y./St. John's) led all scorers with 21 points, adding nine rebounds, three assists and three steals. She tied her career-high with 10 free throws in 12 attempts. Wingate finished the season with at least 20 points in each of the last three games.

"Nevaeh has found her groove," Brooks said. "She's a lot more comfortable out there. I'm excited to get her back here next year and see her continue to develop over the summer."

Maria Serracanta (Sabadell, Spain/Mercer) scored 11 of her 12 points Saturday in the second half, adding a team-high five assists. Senior Marta Hermoso (Seville, Spain/McNeese) was a perfect 3-for-3 from the field for eight points. Nadechka Laccen (San Juan, Puerto Rico/St. Bonaventure) had six points and Teresa Mbemba (Benguela, Angola/Presbyterian) had two points and four rebounds as the Huskies' seniors played the final game of their careers.

NIU (7-23, 4-14 MAC) used a 9-0 run in the first quarter to take a 9-6 lead with 5:15 to go, with Hermoso's first three-pointer putting the Huskies in front. Bowling Green answered with an 11-2 run over 2:52, with Johnea Donahue and Lauren Gerken combining for nine points, to take a 17-11 lead. The two teams traded threes to end the first, with triples from Wingate and Emilie Sorensen (Waukee, Iowa/Waukee) getting NIU within three at 20-17.

Bowling Green (17-13, 9-9 MAC) got two threes from Paige Kohler to start the second quarter with a 26-19 lead with 6:36 to go until halftime. NIU held the Falcons without a field goal for 4:12, going on a 7-0 run to tie the game 26-26. The Falcons came back with an 11-0 run to end the first half, highlighted by three-point plays from Kohler and Jaedyn Cook, to take a 37-26 lead into the locker room.

NIU chipped away at the Falcons' lead in the third quarter, getting within seven at the 4:20 mark when a Serracanta jumper made the score 42-35. The Huskies shot 42.9 percent from the field in the third quarter and got within seven two more times in the quarter. Hermoso's second three-pointer of the game with 0:36 left made the score 50-43, but a Gerken three at the end of the quarter put Bowling Green up 53-43. The Huskies only got as close as eight points the rest of the way.

The Falcons shot 37.9 percent from the field and the three-point arc. NIU shot 34.0 percent from the field and tied a season-high with nine three-pointers. Bowling Green outrebounded the Huskies 40-34 and had only 12 turnovers to NIU's 14. Kohler led Bowling Green with 20 points as Gerken added 17.

Saturday's game marked NIU's final game as a member of the Mid-American Conference. The Huskies will join the Horizon League starting in the 2026-27 season.

"Anybody that's followed us since November can see the improvement in this team," said Brooks. "They never gave up and that's a testament to their character. I believe we're building something special here. We've got some good recruits and returners, but this year was about laying the foundation and culture for years to come."

—NIU—