DeKALB – NIU women’s basketball (8-8, 2-3 MAC) fell late to the University at Buffalo (9-6, 3-2 MAC) by a score of 65-58 to begin its third losing streak of the season.
Senior forward Brooke Stonebraker led the team with 12 points and 10 rebounds. The remaining four starters combined for 14 points while shooting 6-25 from the field.
NIU’s bench unit combined for 32 points and 14 rebounds in a tight-knit contest. The Huskies finished the first three quarters within one point of the Bulls.
The bench attack was led by redshirt freshman forward Brooke Blumenfeld, who recorded 10 points and 4 rebounds in a career-high 26 minutes.
“Coming off the bench, I think if we could give our team a boost of energy, that’s really good for us,” Blumenfeld said. “I feel like we did that tonight.”
STRUGGLES FROM THREE
Long-range shooting woes stunted the Huskie offense, going 0-5 from behind the arc in the first quarter and 4-18 on the night.
NIU women’s basketball head coach Lisa Carlsen said early misses interrupted timing in the three-point game.
“This is not a group that’s not in the gym putting in the time as far as getting extra shots up,” Carlsen said. “But when it comes down to it, you start to hesitate a little bit after you miss a couple shots, and now you’re not shooting the ball in rhythm.”
ONE-WOMAN SHOW
The Bulls’ charge was led by redshirt senior guard Chellia Watson, who scored 27 points while shooting over half of Buffalo’s total shots with 30 attempts. Watson also snatched 11 rebounds, leading both teams.
“We knew she (Watson) was a big offensive threat,” Stonebraker said. “We need to step up and help our guards more, especially in this game.”
UP NEXT
The loss drags the Huskies’ overall record back down to even and their conference record below .500 as they remain in sixth place in the MAC.
The Huskies return to the court at 1 p.m. Saturday to face Central Michigan University at the Convocation Center. The game will be streamed on ESPN+ and live stats will be available on SIDEARM Stats.
