Riding a six-game unbeaten streak, the NIU women’s basketball team wraps up the 1990 portion of its schedule on the road.

The next time Huskie fans can see the team will be Jan. 3 when NIU attempts to avenge last season’s heartbreaking loss at Vanderbilt University.

In the meantime, the 18th-ranked Huskies take the road to Michigan State University for a 2:00 p.m. Saturday match-up with the Big Ten affiliates. It marks the first game between the two teams since NIU coach Jane Albright took over the Huskies’ helm in 1984.

“It’s my first time playing them,” Albright said. “I’ve seen them on film and last year on national television when they beat Iowa.”

Albright categorizes the 2-1 Spartans as a good team that should finish in the “middle-to-upper half” of the Big Ten conference which sports three teams ranked in the Top-20 (Purdue at No. 9, Northwestern at No. 10, and Iowa No. 15).

“They’re really athletic,” Albright said. “They’re shooting percentage is high and they shoot the ball extremely well.”

With a slight size advantage, MSU averages just about the same number of boards as the Huskies. Rebounding is an aspect that Albright finds critical to the Huskies’ chances.

“They are a little taller than us,” Albright said, “so we need to control the boards.”

At 6-2, Dianna Wingis is expected to strengthen the Huskies in the paint. The sophomore has been slowed since a foot injury during NIU’s win over Western Michigan in the first round of the Fastbreak Fest.

“Dianna is expected to practice for the first time today (Thursday),” Albright said. “She will definitely play at Michigan State.”

Other than Wingis, the Huskies head out in good health. As a matter of fact, Lisa Foss couldn’t be better. Averaging 28.5 points per game, the senior was named last week’s North Star Conference Player of the Week.

Saturday’s 2 p.m. game can be heard live on WKDI (93.5 FM) and Channel 8 on DeKalb’s TV cable system.