Women's Basketball Downed by NIU

Box score.

DEKALB, Ill. – In a battle for second place in the Mid-American Conference West Division, the Northern Illinois University women’s basketball team moved into a tie with Eastern Michigan University following an 82-68 victory Wednesday night here at the NIU Convocation Center. Rebounding and free-throw shooting proved the difference, as the Huskies out-rebounded EMU, 44-26, along with making 19 more trips to the charity stripe.

With the victory Northern Illinois improves to 16-8 (7-5 MAC) and moves into the lead for the race for a first round bye in the upcoming Kraft MAC Tournament. Other the other side of the court, Eastern Michigan drops to 12-11 (7-5 MAC).

Canea Williams was the star of the night for EMU, tallying a season-best 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting. Freshman Alyssa Pittman finished with 13 points and Emily Hanley turned in 11 in the setback. For NIU, senior Stephanie Raymond paced the attack with 22 points and eight assists to go along with a pair of 16 point efforts by Kristen Wiener and Jessie Wilcox.

Out of the gate the Eagles were a perfect 3-for-3 from long range as Kendra Gallert, Hanley and Pittman all connected to give Eastern an early 9-8 edge after four minutes of action. The shots continued to fall as EMU would use a 10-4 run over the next four minutes to push the margin in seven points, 19-12, with 12:25 to play.

NIU promptly answered with an 10-0 run of its own to take a 22-19 lead as EMU was held scoreless for more than four minutes until Patrice McKinney laid on off the glass with 8:01 showing on the clock. The scoring cooled for both sides, as Eastern would outscore Northern 6-2 to take a 25-24 edge with 3:44 remaining in the half mainly on four free-throws from Kivilcim Yamanoglu.

The final three minute of the period became the Canea Williams show for the Eagles, as she would score the team’s final 10 points of the half. However, NIU was up to the challenge as the teams went to the lockerroom tied at 35. During the first 20 minutes, EMU shot 37.9 percent (11-of-29) including 46.7 percent (7-of-15) from behind the arc while NIU was managing a 41.4 percent (12-of-29) clip but a stellar 10-of-10 from the charity stripe.

Following the intermission things continued to be even as the score was knotted at 42-42 but EMU’s Pittman picked up her fourth personal foul with 15:51 left forcing her to the bench with five points already un the half. The momentum was swinging the Huskies way as NIU would score eight of the next 11 points including a pair of treys by Whitney Lowe forcing Eastern to call a timeout with 14:05 to go.

The Eagles would respond with five points by Williams to tie the game at 50 while holding the Cardinal and Black scoreless for more than three minutes. A pair of Lowe free throws keyed an 11-6 run by Northern Illinois, pushing the lead to five, 61-56, with 7:39 remaining.

Layups by Hanley and McKinney cut the margin to a pair, 63-61, but a Stephanie Raymond layup quickly followed. Williams drilled a three on the Eagles’ trip back down the court but then NIU responded with a 7-0 to make it 72-64 and make Eastern use another timeout with 4:37 showing. That would be all the closer the Eagles would get the rest of the way, as the Huskies would close on a 10-4 run to take the 82-68 victory.

Eastern returns to the friendly confines of the Convocation Center Saturday afternoon, Feb. 17, to open a two-game homestand against the University of Toledo. The game is part of a doubleheader with the men’s team hosting Manhattan College at 4 p.m. For tickets, call 734.487.2282 or visit EMUEagles.com.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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