DEKALB – NIU’s women’s basketball (10-12, 4-7 MAC) responded to Saturday’s loss with an upset against the Kent State University Golden Flashes (15-8, 8-3 MAC) by a score of 73-69 on Wednesday.
NIU and Kent State came into this game leading the Mid-American Conference in three-point percentage. NIU dominated the three-point line, though, shooting 11-18 from behind the arch in comparison to Kent State’s 10-25 three-point shooting.
“We had some players really shoot the ball extremely well from three, right?” said women’s basketball head coach Lisa Carlsen. “We have all the confidence in the world in our players’ ability to shoot the three. It’s always going to be a part of what we do, and I think we did a great job of sharing the basketball, finding the right players and then knocking down shots when they were open.”
Junior guard Alecia Doyle took over this game early and didn’t let up, finishing with a season-high 23 points and 4-4 from three-point range. Doyle was relentless on the offensive end and defensive, providing 38 minutes of efficient play.
“I just want so much for my team,” Doyle said. “So it’s not really about me, it’s about we so sometimes, like I might be tired, I might not feel like it, but it’s kind of like it doesn’t really matter, like I want to be there for my team and do whatever I can to help my team win.”
Graduate student guard Chelby Koker’s hot streak continued after logging at least 15 points in each of her last three games. Koker has also dominated defensively, with at least 4 steals in two out of her last three games.
“I think we continue to figure things out as a team, trying to get into a flow with each other and just good ball movement,” Koker said. “Teammates looking for me when I’m open, and I just hope that I can do my part when they do.”
Koker finished tonight’s contest with 21 points on 64% shooting from the field.
Redshirt senior guard Sidney McCrea also stood out, providing effective scoring off the bench. McCrea finished with 12 points off of 75% shooting from three.
Kent State sophomore guard Mya Babbitt went tit for tat with NIU’s top scorers, leading the Golden Flashes in scoring. Babbitt finished with 17 points and was 5-7 from three.
First Half
The Huskies started the first quarter attacking the paint, finishing with 10 points down low in the first quarter. The Huskies were also efficient behind the arch, posting 3 three-pointers to give NIU a 21-11 lead after the first quarter.
The Huskies went cold in the second quarter, scoring 2 points in the first five minutes. Their aggressive defense limited Kent State from getting too close to the Huskies early lead.
Koker jump started NIU’s offense with a momentum-shifting layup followed by Doyle’s five straight points toward the end of the second quarter. The Huskies continued to play complementary basketball by capitalizing on turnovers.
The Huskies scored 9 points off 11 turnovers compared to the Golden Flashes zero0 points off turnovers in the first half. The turnover margin was a pivotal factor that gave the Huskies a 35-20 lead to end the half.
SECOND HALF
Doyle and McCrea took turns knocking down shots to help the Huskies maintain their lead in the third quarter.
Koker joined her teammates’ shooting clinic, scoring 10 points in the third quarter alone after entering the second half with 4 points. Koker continued having success in the fourth quarter, accounting for an efficient second half.
Babbit drained three consecutive three-pointers and a layup, bringing Kent State within six points late in the fourth quarter.
The Huskies’ lead slipped to two points until Koker and Doyle proved clutch on the last possession of the game. Doyle blocked a would’ve been game-sealing three-point attempt and Koker held firm on defense to seal the victory.
UP NEXT
The Huskies’ next matchup is against Appalachian State University in the second part of the MAC-SBC Challenge.
Carlsen touched on what this victory means for the Huskies moving forward.
“We beat a really good Kent State team tonight, but it’s one game and the next one will be just as important as this one,” Lisa Carlsen said. “Hopefully it’s a great momentum builder for us. I think it will be again.”
Tipoff against Appalachian State begins at 1 p.m. CST Saturday in Boone, North Carolina. Live streaming will be available through ESPN+ and listening will be provided by NIU All-Access.
