Dubbed the pre-DePaul game, the NIU women’s basketball team (11-4, 4-0) will try to extinguish the UIC Flames for the ninth consecutive time Thursday in a 7 p.m. battle at Chick Evans Field House.

All NIU eyes must focus on a UIC team that comes to DeKalb with a 2-2 ledger in the North Star Conference. NIU coach Jane Albright is confident that her team isn’t looking ahead to the always-intense rivalry with DePaul on Saturday.

“I don’t think my team has that problem of looking ahead,” Albright said. “The minute the UIC game is over, I think we’ll start looking toward DePaul.”

In the last meeting between these two schools, the Huskies demolished the Flames by a 58-point margin (116-58)—something that UIC coach Eileen McMahon acknowledged.

“Northern is one of the teams that dominated this group last year,” McMahon said. “This team didn’t forget that.”

Whether or not the Flames can do anything about it remains to be seen. On paper, the Huskies are heavily favored to extend their NSC consecutive winning streak to 20 straight.

“I feel like our team is back in our rhythm,” Albright added. “If we can continue to run the ball, control the boards and play great half-court defense, we’ll do alright.”

McMahon is also pleased with her team’s performance as of late. But the first-year coach was quick to point out that the Flames’ 2-2 record in the conference is a bit misleading. UIC has yet to face NIU, DePaul or Wisconsin-Green Bay.

“We’ve only played one of the preseason top four teams in the conference,” McMahon said. “We realize it (NIU) will be an extremely tough game for us.”

UIC will count on Jacques Gilbert to carry the load for the Flames. Gilbert missed last season’s games with the Huskies due to a knee injury. The senior, who Albright referred to as “one of the best players in the conference,” paces the Flames with her 14.3 points-per-game.

NIU will counter with Lisa Foss, whose 25.8 points-per-game is tops in the North Star.

“Foss is a great player,” McMahon said. “And she’s a very tough player to prepare for. The entire Northern team has a lot to prepare for. We can’t let them jump on us right away.”