With 1:36 remaining in NIU’s wire-to-wire win Tuesday night, Angela Lockett put an exclamation point on her career-best performance.

The Huskie sophomore’s block of Valparaiso’s Aimee Forsman’s shot left no doubt as to who was in control throughout NIU’s 102-84 North Star Conference victory. In just 25.5 minutes of action, Lockett finished with 31 points and 10 rebounds for a double-double.

“We knew going in tonight (Lockett) would be a mismatch,” Valparaiso head coach Dave Wolter said. “With our style of play, there are rebounds that normally don’t matter but her’s did.”

Eight of Lockett’s boards came on the offensive end as the Huskies controlled the boards the entire night, 56-37.

“We saw the tenacity of hitting the offensive boards and coming up with something,” NIU head coach Jane Albright-Dieterle said.

But it was Lockett’s night, especially in the second half. After scoring eight points on four-of-10 shooting in the opening half, she exploded for 23 points on eight of nine shots from the floor and seven of nine free throws.

With NIU ahead 81-75 at the 5:55 mark, it was Lockett who clinched the Huskies’ fifth-straight victory. She scored 12 of the Huskies’ next 15 points in just over three minutes to make it 96-81 with 2:11 to go.

“I have a lot more confidence,” Lockett said. “I wasn’t thinking about it (scoring the 31), but it makes feel good to know I can score.”

In the last six games, Lockett has averaged 18 points, including four games of 20 or more points.