When Lisa Foss scores 38 points and isn’t the highlight of the NIU women’s basketball game, one might get the feeling that things weren’t favorable for the Huskies.

Just the opposite can be said about Monday night’s encounter between NIU and Valparaiso at Chick Evans Field House. Six Huskies tallied double-figures, dividing the spotlight, as NIU stampeded the Crusaders, 120-97, in front of 1,142 fans.

This one held all the ingredients of a Paul Westhead type of affair—run, run and run some more.

Both teams broke out of the gate early, but NIU (19-5, 11-0) raced to a narrow 54-53 halftime advantage. The Huskies outrebounded Valpo by 13 boards in the first period, but the Crusaders hung tough.

“Everything that I have ever taught my team puts us ahead by 15 points in the first half,” Albright said. “We had gotten to the free throw line and we had outrebounded them, but it was only a one point game—because it was a foot race with a lot of layups.”

Albright adjusted her team’s defense to stop the easy layups in the second half and it paid off. The Huskies slowly pulled away from Valpo thanks to a hungrier defensive unit and continued domination on the boards (64-43).

NIU’s post players recorded two double-doubles and 38 of the Huskies’ 64 caroms on the night. Dianna Wingis, coming off of a career-high rebounding game at Wright State (14), established a new high with 15 boards and added the same number of points.

“Coach Albright has really been stressing rebounds,” Wingis said. “So, we’ve been working extra hard in practice and it’s paying off.”

Angela Lockett posted a quiet 13 points, while snagging 10 more rebounds. And once again, Tracy Mondek enjoyed career success against the Crusaders as the junior scored 16 points and ripped down eight boards.

“Our post people did an unbelievable job on the boards,” Albright said. “I was very pleased with every position.”

Guards Dee Dee Jeske and Toby Meeks poured in double digits also. Jeske shot five-of-seven from the field en route to her 14-point effort, while Meeks did a little bit of everything. The senior pulled in 10 rebounds, dished off seven times and still contributed 11 points.

“Toby did a great job in a total all-around game,” Albright said. “Toby played in the one, two and three slots and did an excellent job. Three more assists and she’s got a triple-double.”

Although Albright acknowledged the win as exciting, the seventh-year coach counted her blessings that the game wasn’t just a shootout.

“If we played this team in H-O-R-S-E, I don’t know that we’d win,” Albright noted. “They’re such great shooters. Fortunately, it wasn’t a H-O-R-S-E game.”