Second Half Rally Falls Short For NIU At UIC
The Northern Illinois University women’s basketball team cut a 15-point UIC halftime lead to six points in the third quarter Thursday night, but could not come all the way back in a 66-55 loss to the Flames at Credit Union 1 Arena.
“We’re growing and we’re getting more familiar with each game,” said head coach Jacey Brooks. “We’re getting to know tendencies and what each player can do and the best way to get better is playing together. Once we get everyone going it’ll start to click for us.”
Junior forward Nevaeh Wingate (Liverpool, N.Y./St. John’s) led all scorers with 23 points. Wingate was 5-for-8 from the field, a perfect 3-for-3 from the three-point arc and 10-for-14 from the foul line. She also had seven rebounds. Freshman Cyra Conwell (Chicago, Ill./Butler College Prep) had 10 points in her first career start, making all four of her shots from the field.
“I’m really happy for Cyra,” Brooks said. “She gave it her all on the defensive end and did a good job on Jessica Carrothers. Cyra has stayed the course and worked hard.”
NIU (0-4) rode the hot shooting of Wingate and Nadechka Laccen (San Juan, Puerto Rico/St. Bonaventure) to build a 12-4 lead in the first 4:42 of the game. The duo scored all 12 of those points as each player made a three. UIC came back with an 8-2 run to close the quarter as back-to-back baskets by Crystal Ortiz and Tutu Clayton made the score 14-12. The Huskies were 6-for-11 from the field in the opening quarter and held the Flames to 31.6 percent.
UIC (1-2) turned the tide in the second quarter. The Flames used a 14-3 run over 4:33 to take a 26-19 lead. The three points came on a Wingate three-pointer, the lone field goal make for NIU in the quarter. Jessica Carrothers had eight points in that stretch for the Flames. The Huskies got as close as six but UIC closed the half on a 9-0 run to go up 37-22 at the break.
The Flames led by as much as 17 in the third quarter before NIU made a charge back into the game. It started with a Marta Hermoso (Seville, Spain/McNeese) three at the 7:12 mark, followed by a Conwell fast break layup that made the score 43-31. Conwell then made back-to-back threes to get the Huskies within 10, 47-37, with 3:04 to go in the third. After Hermoso split two free throws Wingate made her third triple of the game to make the score 47-41 with under a minute to go. UIC made four free throws in the final minute to take a 51-41 lead into the fourth quarter. NIU only got as close as 10 points in the fourth as UIC went on to win 66-55.
The Huskies shot a season-high 42.1 percent from the three-point arc, making 8-of-19 attempts. Conversely, NIU held UIC to 2-for-13 from long range. The Flames outrebounded NIU 38-31 and scored 20 points off 17 Huskies turnovers. Carrothers led UIC with 22 points as Samantha Serrano added 14 points and six rebounds off the bench.
“We wanted to make each shot from Carrothers difficult,” said Brooks. “I think 80 percent of her shots were hard. She’s a pure scorer and did we all we could to contain her.’
NIU is back in action on Friday, Nov. 21 at SIUE. Tip-off is at 6 p.m.
Five Score in Double Figures as Huskies Blitz Benedictine
Daemar Kelly (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills) led the way with a career-high 18 points as the Northern Illinois University men’s basketball team downed Benedictine, 117-62, on Thursday night (Nov. 13) at NIU Convocation Center. Makhai Valentine (Munhall, Pa./Steel Valley) added a career-best 17 points while Taj Walters (Bronx, N.Y./Moravian Prep) and Hassan ‘Tre’ Washington (Providence, R.I./Prise Academy) each added a career-high 13 points.
The 117 points by the Huskies is tied for the sixth-most in school history. NIU also scored 117 last year in a 117-50 win over East-West University (Dec. 30, 2024).
NIU (2-2) raced out of the gates to a 17-4 lead in the opening six minutes of the contest. Valentine scored the first six to open the game. Benedictine sandwiched a pair of baskets around a bucket from Kelly before a triple from Gianni Cobb (Chicago, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor), two free throws from Walters and baskets by Kelly and Washington put the Huskies in front by 13 early.
The Huskies led 33-16 with 7:11 to play in the half before an eight-point burst put NIU in front by 25. Jaylen Wharton (Plant City, Fla./Durant) scored to open the run, Kelly then knocked in a triple, Valentine added a free throw and Ladji Kante (Marseille, France) scored to give the Huskies a 41-16 lead.
Valentine had a game-high seven assists to go along with his 17 points.
After a basket by the Eagles, NIU used a 12-0 run to take a 53-18. Washington opened the run with a bucket, Gustav Winther (Roskilde, Denmark) had a basket during the run, Valentine scored four points and Washington knocked in a corner triple as the Huskie lead grew to 53-18 with a little under two minutes to play in the opening half.
Kelly had 14 to lead all scorers at the intermission as the Huskies held a 60-20 lead. Valentine had 11 points and Washington had 10 as the Huskies shot 54.1 percent (20-of-37) from the field in the opening 20 minutes, including 47.1 percent (8-of-17) from three.
Benedictine was held to just 20.6 percent (7-of-34) shooting in the opening half, including 11.1 percent (2-of-18) from three.
After halftime, the Huskie offense continued to fire on all cylinders as NIU shot 65.4 percent (17-of-26) from the field in the second 20 minutes, including 54.5 percent (6-of-11) from three to finish the game shooting 58.7 percent (37-of-63) and 50 percent (14-of-28) from long range.
Along with the five players in double figures, Cobb, Kante and Isaiah Washington (Fayetteville, N.C./Winston-Salem Christian) each scored nine points, Cobb added a team-high five assists.
Aidan Werth scored 13 points to lead the way for Benedictine, who shot 53.3 percent (16-of-30) from the field in the second half.
NIU will return to action on Tuesday, Nov. 18, when the Huskies travel to Northern Iowa. Tipoff against the Panthers is scheduled for 7 p.m. on ESPN+.
NIU Softball: Gleason Signs Four for NIU Softball
Northern Illinois University softball head coach Kathryn Gleason is set to welcome four athletes from Illinois and Indiana to the Huskies softball program.
“We are thrilled to welcome Michaela, Makenzie, Kylie and Lilly to the Huskie Softball Family,” said Gleason. “All four are Midwest kids who come from great families, and who excel in the classroom and give back to their community. They are great competitors who have a desire to work at their ability and to compete for championships.”
Kylie Fish is set to join the Huskies softball program after competing for Plainfield High School in Plainfield, Indiana. Fish helped the Quakers post a record of 25-2 and 14-0 in conference play last season as they won the conference and county championships. In the 2024-25 season, Fish recorded 36 hits, 42 runs, and a batting average of .404. Fish also saw action with New Lenox Lightning Gold in 34 games with a batting average of .391.
Lilliana “Lilly” Heath is the second player to join the Huskies from the state of Indiana, having competed for Avon High School in Avon, Indiana. Heath saw action in 90 games in the last three seasons, recording 117 hits and 44 RBIs. Heath had a batting average of .412 or above all three seasons with a team record of 43-17. Heath, with the Orioles of Avon, were three-time sectional championships. Additionally, Heath earned Rookie of the Year honors in 2022-23 and Indy Star Freshman impact honors.
Makenzie Johnson was part of the Beecher High School team that has posted three straight undefeated conference seasons, going 45-0 in that time. The Beecher, Illinois native helped posted an overall record of 104-9 during that time and was a part of the 2024-25 Illinois state champion team. Johnson scored 106 runs, 130 hits, 11 home runs, and a batting average of .459 during her high school career. Jonhson has earned multiple All-Conference, All-Area, and All-State honors for the Bobcats.
Michaela Power joins the Huskies after competing for William Howard Taft High School in Chicago, Illinois. Power has held to post a record of 49-24-1 over the last three seasons and is a member of the three-year 4A Regional Champion team. Power had a batting average of .449 with 33 hits, 9 home runs, and 17 RBIs. In the circle, Power has recorded 19 wins and zero losses with an ERA of 2.61 and 47 strikeouts. Power earned CPL Player of the Year honors in 2025, the first non-senior to earn the award.
“They each fulfill a need we have with the 2026 graduation of many impact players,” noted Gleason. “They each add power to the hitting lineup, with two lefties added to the mix, and have a strong, athletic presence on the mound, and in the field. We look forward to them making an immediate impact in the classroom, on the field and in the community.”
Stay up-to-date on all things NIU Softball by visiting @NIUSoftball on Twitter/X, NIU Softball on Facebook, and @NIU_Softball on Instagram.
NIU Volleyball: D'Amore Signs Three for Huskies Volleyball
Northern Illinois University volleyball head coach Sondra D’Amore is excited to announce the addition of three newcomers for the 2026 season.
The 2026 signing class represents the states of Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana.
“We are super thrilled to welcome this 2026 class. All three athletes come from great club & high school programs where they have achieved many accolades. We’re excited for this class to continue to help our program grow and achieve new goals,” said D’Amore.
Lilly Abney comes to the Huskies volleyball program after playing for Zionsville High School in Zionsville, Indiana. Abney recorded 371 kills in her high school career with 247 coming this season. Additionally, Abney has tallied 185 total digs, 69 blocks, and 34 aces in her career. Abney played club volleyball with Circle City VB while also competing on the track team, earning state qualifications in 2023.
D’Amore on Abney: “Lilly, athletically, is going to turn some heads with how she jumps and plays the game. Adding that physicality is going to be a great addition to the program.”
Charlotte Gramzow is set to join the Huskies after posting a record of 64-35 over three seasons. The Royal Oak, Michigan native recorded 1,009 kills and 876 digs in four years. Gramzow was part of a team that won the district three consecutive years while earning All-Conference and All-State honors from Lutheran Northwest High School.
D’Amore on Gramzow: “Charlotte is a true competitor. Being close to 6 foot tall as a libero allows her to play the game differently and cover ground which is invaluable in that position.”
Katelyn “Katie” Pahl joins the Huskie volleyball squad after competing for Perrysburg High School with a combined 75-28 record over four years. Pahl recorded 1,040 kills in her career while adding 756 digs and 140 aces. Pahl broke records for number of kills in a match, twice, first with 27 and then 34. The Perrysburg, Ohio native claimed second in conference play three-times while securing an open bid to USA Nationals with her club team.
D’Amore on Pahl: “Katie is just a great all-around volleyball player. She does every skill set well and she understands the game at a high level.”
The Huskies conclude the 2025 regular season at Kent State on November 14-15. Action is set to start at 5 p.m. CT on November 14.
Need more Huskies Volleyball? Follow us on Twitter/X at @NIUVolleyball, on Facebook at NIU Volleyball, and on Instagram at @NIUVolley.
Game Time For November 18 NIU-Western Michigan Game Announced
The Mid-American Conference announced on Wednesday the game time and television assignment for the Northern Illinois University football game against Western Michigan on Tuesday, Nov. 18.
Next week’s game will kick off at 6:00 p.m. CT and be broadcast on ESPN2. This will be the second time in three weeks the Huskies appear on ESPN2 and the fifth time this season NIU is on broadcast television.
Tickets are on sale now at NIUHuskies.com/tickets or by calling the NIU Ticket Office at 815-753-PACK (7225).
The Huskies are in action tonight at UMass. Kickoff is at 6 p.m. CT on ESPNU and locally on 94-9 WDKB.
NIU Races Past UMass 45-3 Wednesday Night
The Northern Illinois University football team scored a season-high 45 points and rushed for 318 yards in a 45-3 victory at McGuirk Alumni Stadium against the Massachusetts Minutemen Wednesday night.
“I loved how guys stepped up and made plays tonight,” said head coach Thomas Hammock after the Huskies’ second win in the last three games. “Offensively we scored the most points we’ve scored all year and that’s something we can build off of going forward. Our players worked really hard at practice to keep trying to play football the way we know how.”
Quarterback Jalen Macon (Nashville, Tenn./UAPB) made his first start at NIU and accounted for four touchdowns. Macon rushed for a game-high 98 yards and three touchdowns, adding 73 passing yards and a touchdown. He is the first NIU quarterback since Rocky Lombardi in the 2021 Mid-American Conference championship game to have three rushing touchdowns in a game. Chavon Wright (Opa Locka, Fla./Charleston) added 86 yards on 12 carries with a touchdown.
“We felt like with the gameplan we had that we got everything we wanted tonight,” Macon said. “At the end of the day, if we got the run game going we were going to stick with that. Everything was on us tonight. We stuck to the attention to details and made sure everything was efficient.”
NIU (3-7, 2-4 MAC) got off to a fast start as freshman linebacker Kimar Nelson (Fort Wayne, Ind./Wayne) blocked a Keegan Andrews punt from midfield, giving the Huskies the ball at the UMass 25 with 12:17 left in the first quarter. Andrew Glass (Wheeling, W.Va./Kent State) made a 37-yard field goal to give the Huskies a 3-0 lead at the 10:41 mark. The Huskies went up 10-0 with 4:53 to go when Macon ran in a 13-yard touchdown, capping an 11-play, 66-yard drive that took 5:06 off the clock. Macon had 29 rushing yards on the drive with Wright adding 31, including a 22-yard run that got the Huskies to the UMass 32 yardline.
UMass (0-10, 0-6 MAC) drove down to the NIU 21 on its next drive, highlighted by a 21-yard pass from AJ Hairston to Brandon Hood. The Minutemen had 4th-and-2 from the NIU 21 and went for it on the first play of the second quarter. Hairston’s pass fell incomplete and the Huskies took the ball over on downs. NIU took advantage of the turnover and hit it’s longest pass play of the year to go up 17-0. On 2nd-and-8 from the NIU 33 Macon hit Elijah Porter (Ankeny, Iowa/Centennial) over the middle for a 67-yard touchdown with 11:42 to go in the first half, Porter’s first career score and Macon’s first passing touchdown as a Huskie.
The Huskies scored two more touchdowns in the first half. The first came after a 49-yard UMass field goal miss. NIU drove x yards on 10 plays with Wright punching in a one-yard touchdown run to make the score 24-0 with 2:29 to play in the half. On the Minutemen’s ensuing possession Lance Ingold (Rochester, Ill./Rochester) sacked Brandon Rose, forcing a fumble that Dasean Dixon (Washington, D.C./Albany) recovered at the UMass 13 yardline with 2:00 to go. Macon ran the ball twice on the drive, one carry for 12 yards and the second for a one-yard touchdown run to put NIU ahead 31-0.
NIU quickly went up 38-0 in the third quarter. The Huskies drove 73 yards in six plays with Macon scoring his third touchdown of the night on a 36-yard run at the 12:05 mark. The Huskies defense forced another turnover on downs on the Minutemen’s next possession as Filip Maciorowski (Carol Stream, Ill./Glenbard West) stopped Hairston short on fourth down to give NIU the ball at its own 48 yardline. Two plays later, Brady Davidson (Columbia, Mo./Rock Bridge) found Gary Givens (Tampa, Fla./Valparaiso) in the end zone for a 31-yard touchdown reception to make the score 45-0 with 8:16 to go in the third.
UMass got on the board with 6:13 to play in the game. Derek Morris capped a 12-play, 73-yard drive with a 44-yard field goal to make the final score 45-3.
The Huskies had 433 yards of total offense Wednesday night to UMass’ 262. NIU allowed just 65 rushing yards, its second-fewest total of the season. NIU had the ball for 33:41 for its highest time of possession, including 10:20 in the fourth quarter to seal the win. Jacob Finley (Birmingham, Ala./Hoover) led NIU with a career-high 14 tackles, adding a tackle for loss. Maciorowski had 11 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.
“We just went out there this week and played with confidence,” said Finley. “After a loss like last week, people could have had their head down but Coach was adamant about keeping our heads up. We all played together, working off the energy of the offense and playing well on special teams.”
The Huskies return to Huskie Stadium on Tuesday, Nov. 18 to take on the Western Michigan Broncos. Kickoff is at 6:00 p.m. CT with the game telecast on ESPN2 and broadcast locally on 94-9 WDKB. Tickets are on sale now at NIUHuskies.com/tickets or by calling the NIU Ticket Office at 815-753-PACK (7225).
NIU Volleyball: Huskies Travel to Kent State for Final Road Matches of Season
Heading into the final weekend of the regular season, the Northern Illinois University Huskies volleyball team (11-14, 4-12 MAC) are set to travel to the Kent State University Golden Flashes (8-19, 3-13 MAC) for a two-game series, November 14-15.
The Huskies and Golden Flashes are set to have first serve at 5 p.m. CT on November 14 in Kent, Ohio.
The Huskies hold a 34-10 series lead over the Golden Flashes in all-time meetings with NIU claiming a 3-0 victory last season in DeKalb.
Taking a look at the Golden Flashes, Mackenzie McGuire leads Kent State with 3.77 kills per set, a total of 351 this season. Macie Moreland is the only other Golden Flash with over 2.00 kills per set as she has tallied 176 this season.
Behind the service line, Hailey Brenner leads the team with 25 aces this season and is joined by Nadia Miller with 21 aces. Defensively, the Golden Flashes have three athletes with 2.34 or more digs per set. Christina Vigil leads the team with 2.53 digs while Brenner and McGuire have 2.50 and 2.34 digs per set respectively.
On the Huskies side of the net, Emma McCartney (Cleveland, Ohio/Chadron) is leading the Huskies with 279 kills this season, an average of 2.85 per set. Ava Grevengoed (Shorewood, Ill./Joliet West is the second Huskies above 200 kills (277 total), averaging 2.77 per set. Grevengoed leads the team with 10 double-doubles this season.
Ella Strausberger (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) and Autumn Flynn (Luxemburg, Wis./Luxemburg-Casco) lead the Huskies with 26 aces each while Jordyn Tynsky (Denton, Texas/Denton-Guyer) adds 25 aces of her own. Tynsky leads the defensive efforts for the Huskies with 3.02 digs per set while McCartney and Grevengoed recording over 200 digs this season.
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NIU Women's Tennis Signs Three In Upcoming Class
The Northern Illinois University women's tennis team announced the signing of three players today to join the program in 2026-27 in Layla Notta, Iben Storkaas and Natalia Varela Herrera.
"We've had some excellent recruiting classes the past few years, but I'm really excited about this class," said head coach Eric Burns. "This class has the potential to be a special one. We are losing three top seniors who have meant a lot to our program and have helped lead us to a lot of success, but I have faith and belief that this group can help continue to build on our previous success. All three are very talented student-athletes who can contribute immediately and can help us compete for championships in the Horizon League. They have each excelled and have gained valuable experience by playing big tournament schedules in ITF junior events."
Layla Notta – ITF World Junior Ranking high: 732; UTR rating high: 8.97
Notta, from Thornhill, Ontario, has ranked as high as fifth in juniors in Ontario and 15th in Canada. In March, Notta won the ITF Puerto Rico Bowl U18 in singles while finishing as a doubles finalist in the Junior ITF Frederiction this past May. Additionally, Notta has been a quarterfinalist in singles at Canadian Nationals and was a runner-up in doubles at the Canadian National Selections.
"Layla is a player who is really on the rise at the moment and has had some huge wins recently," said Burns. "I like her upside and her ability to raise her level against better players. You can see she has the ability to play at a very high level with some of her ITF results. She brings an attacking game style and being from Canada, her game is well suited for indoor tennis."
Iben Storkaas – ITF World Junior Ranking high: 1,096; UTR rating high: 8.49
Storkaas is currently the No. 4 ranked player in Norway in her age group and represented Norway in the European Team Championships. Storkaas was a singles finalist at the Norwegian Women's Indoor Championship and at ITF J30 Uppsala this September. In doubles, Storkaas was a finalist at J30 Gothenburg (Oct. 2025), J30 Copenhagen (Aug. 2025) and J60 Oslo (Feb. 2025).
"Iben is someone we have been talking with for a while and I'm excited that she decided to join our team," said Burns. "She has a lot of ITF match experience and a big game with lots of weapons, which is ideal for indoor play. While she has had some good results in singles, her doubles results have been excellent and very consistent. At 5-11 her length should help us on the doubles court. I believe her game has huge potential."
Natalia Varela Herrera – ITF World Junior Ranking high: 469; UTR rating high: 8.55
Varela Herrera comes to DeKalb from Guadalajara, Mexico and has ranked as high as 469 in the ITF Junior Ranking. In singles, Varela Herrera finished as a finalist in both the ITF J60 Guadalajara (Nov. 2024) and ITF J60 Puebla (March 2025). In doubles, Varela Herrera won the championship at J60 Queretaro Junior Cup this past February.
"I am excited that Natalia chose to continue her tennis career at NIU. I believe she will bring many positives to our team including her strong work ethic and desire to improve," said Burns. "On the court, her game has great variety, which is important to have at this level. She's also an accomplished doubles player with several ITF wins. I feel with more time and experience, she can be an excellent college player and will be an asset to our program."
Notta intends on majoring in business while Varela Herrera will be majoring in industrial engineering. Storkaas is currently undecided.
NIU Signs Six to Incoming Class for 2026
Northern Illinois University women’s soccer head coach Michael O’Neill announced the addition of six student-athletes to the Huskie program for the 2026 season. Alexandra Devory (Ruckersville, Va./William Monroe), Brianna Gutierrez (Addison, Ill./Addison Trail), Abbey Kijewski (Nobleton, Ontario/Brill Crothers Secondary), Rowan Moore (Granger, Ind./Penn), Madison Sheppard (Cincinnati, Ohio/Roger Bacon) and Lola Zarate (Oak Park, Ill./Oak Park River Forest) signed to join the Huskies next season.
“We are thrilled with the addition of so many high-quality players,” said O’Neill. “My staff have worked tirelessly to get some of the best local, regional, and international talent here to NIU and we are excited to see them impact this program as we continue to build a highly competitive Horizon League program.”
A goalkeeper from Ruckersville, Va., Devory earned Second Team All-Region 3B honors and was a First Team All-Valley District selection last season at William Monroe High School. Devory plays club soccer with Skyline Elite SC in the Girls Academy League.
“Alex is a talented goalkeeper and will bring great competition to that unit,” said O’Neill. “Her size and athleticism will allow her to impact many of the key phases we experience at D1 Women’s Soccer.”
Gutierrez is a defender from Addison, Ill., who plays club soccer with Eclipse Select in ECNL. She also earned All-West Suburban Conference Gold Division honors playing for Addison Trail High School
“Bri is a left footed defender that can play centrally and out wide,” said O’Neill. “Bri’s technical quality combined with her composure and game intelligence will allow her to make an instant impact at the college level.”
Kijewski is the lone international player among the six signees, hailing from Nobleton, Ontario, Canada. A midfielder, Kijewski plays club soccer with Woodbridge SC and is ranked in the top-100 in the First Touch Football Canada Girls 2026 rankings.
“Abbey is a very dynamic and creative midfielder that can play in a multitude of positions,” said O’Neill. “Abbey is both a technical and creative player and we are delighted to have her join the program.”
A defender, Moore plays with Midwest United FC in the Girls Academy League. She was also a two-year starter at Penn High School, where she earned honorable mention all-league honors and helped her team to a third-place state finish.
“Rowan is a dynamic and tough tackling central defender that will add great depth to our defensive unit,” said O’Neill. “Her size and strength will be a huge asset for us, and we can’t wait for her to get started.”
Sheppard is a midfielder and plays club soccer with Indy Premier in the ECNL. She also played two years at Roger Bacon High School, scoring 10 goals in just seven games in 2023.
“Maddy is a very technical and intelligent central midfielder that will be a great addition to our program,” said O’Neill. “Maddy has competed and excelled at the highest youth soccer level, and we are excited to see the impact she makes here at NIU.”
Zarate, a defender from Oak Park, Ill., plays club soccer with FC United in the Girls Academy League. She also plays high school soccer at Oak Park River Forest, helping her team reach the sectional finals in 2025.
“Lola is a left footed outside back that will give great balance to our defensive unit,” said O’Neill. “Lola is tenacious defensively but also has the ability and endurance to help her teams in attack.”
The NIU women’s soccer program, along with 13 other Huskie Athletic programs, will move to the Horizon League beginning with the 2026-27 school year.
Huskie Return Home to Host Benedictine
After a pair of road games, the Northern Illinois University men’s basketball team returns home on Thursday, Nov. 13, as the Huskies welcome Benedictine to the NIU Convocation Center. Tipoff against the Eagles is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be available on ESPN+ as well as WDKB 94-9 FM.
Tickets for Thursday’s game, and all remaining Huskie basketball contests, are available now at NIUHuskies.com/tickets or by calling, 815-753-PACK (7225).
NIU (1-2) fell on the road at Grand Canyon last time out. Daemar Kelly (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills) paced the Huskies with 12 points while Hassan ‘Tre’ Washington (Providence, R.I./Prise Academy) added a career-high 10 points. Washington was a perfect 3-of-3 from the field and 2-of-2 from the free-throw line.
Gustav Winther (Roskilde, Denmark) went 4-of-4 from the floor and finished with nine points. For the season, Winther is shooting 86.7 percent (13-of-15) from the floor while averaging 10.0 points per game.
Jao Ituka (Gaithersburg, Md./Gaithersburg) continues to lead NIU in scoring at 12.7 points per game. Ituka is shooting 50 percent (12-of-24) from the field, 53.8 percent (7-of-13) from three and 87.5 percent (7-of-8) from the free-throw line.
Benedictine opened the season at the Bill Merris Invitational, where they suffered a 75-68 season opening loss to Simpson College (Nov. 7) before rebounding with a 74-68 win over Principia College in the consolation game (Nov. 8).
Noah Mason leads Benedictine with 16.5 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. Brandon McCoy adds 13.5 points per contest. Mason is the leading returning scorer for the Eagles having averaged 11.4 points per game a season ago.
NIU has won both of its previous meetings against Benedictine, including an 89-70 victory a season ago (Dec. 3, 2024). The only other meeting came on Jan. 21, 1991, a 69-65 Huskie victory over what was then known as Illinois Benedictine.
Following Thursday’s matchup, NIU will head on the road for its next three, beginning with a trip to Northern Iowa on Tuesday, Nov. 18.