The Northern Illinois University women’s basketball team had four players score in double figures Tuesday night, winning the home opener at the NIU Convocation Center 77-60 over the Lindenwood Lions.
“I was proud of the entire roster tonight,” said head coach Lisa Carlsen following the victory. “We had players step up and do what they’re capable of doing. That’s what its going to take from this group. We can definitely grow from this. It feels good to get that first win.”
Senior guard Jayden Marable led all scorers with 18 points, making 7-of-15 shots from the field. She also had a season-high seven rebounds and tied a career-high with eight assists.
“I was really hungry to get a win after that Southern Indiana loss,” Marable said. “I knew I had to be a leader today and give my best effort.”
“People are going to take away the three-point shot and deny us off the wing, and that’s where someone like Jayden becomes so valuable,” Carlsen added. “She’s somebody who can create her own shot and put pressure on the rim.”
Kortney Drake (Wilton, Iowa/Kirkwood CC) tied her career-high in points for the second straight game with 12. Sidney McCrea (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Prairie) made three three-pointers and scored 13 points with four assists. Redshirt-Freshman forward Brooke Blumenfeld (Northbrook, Ill./Glenbrook North) scored a career-high 10 points off the bench.
NIU (1-3) fell behind 7-2 in the first 2:06, with Lindenwood’s Ellie Brueggemann scoring the Lions’ first seven points. The Huskies came back and closed the quarter on a 12-2 run over the last 4:24 to take a 14-9 lead. Grace Hunter (Monroeville, Ind./Bellmont) sparked the run with a three-pointer with layups from Drake and Tara Stauffacher (Columbus, Wis./Wisconsin) capping the stretch.
The Huskies led by as much as nine in the second quarter before Lindenwood went on an 11-5 run to get within four midway through the period. Three-pointers by Brueggemann and Mya Skoff bookended that stretch that made the score 23-19 with 5:11 to play until halftime. Just as they did in the first quarter, the Huskies went on a big run to close the second. Sparked by a Marable layup, NIU outscored Lindenwood 14-4 over the last three minutes to take a 39-26 halftime lead. Blumenfeld scored the final four points of the half for NIU.
NIU shot 53.3 percent from the field in the second half, including a 61.5 percent mark in the fourth quarter alone, to pull away for the 77-60 win. The Lions got as close as six points, 50-44, late in the third quarter. Marable, McCrea and Hunter combined to go on a 9-2 run to close the quarter and put NIU ahead 59-46. The Huskies took their largest lead of the game with 6:22 to go in the game when Drake found Maddy Fay (Palatine, Ill./Fremd) open under the basket to put NIU ahead by 18, 68-50.
The Huskies finished the game shooting 48.3 percent from the field and were 13-of-15 at the free throw line. NIU shined defensively, holding Lindenwood to 29.6 percent from the field and outrebounding the Lions 46-41. The Huskies had 19 assists on 29 baskets. NIU has won five straight games at the Convocation Center dating back to last season.
Brueggemann led Lindenwood (0-4) with 17 points.
The Huskies go on the road for two games at the Puerto Rico Clasico this weekend. NIU will take on Radford on Friday, Nov. 24 and Indiana State on Saturday, Nov. 25. Both games are scheduled for 10 a.m. CT.