After a loss to No. 4 Tennessee last Monday and victories over Akron and Cleveland State, the NIU women’s basketball team idles at the No. 23 spot in the Associated Press poll for the second straight week.

North Star Conference rival DePaul University has had an up-and-down season—this week the Blue Demons find themselves well off the Top 25 mark. Coach Doug Bruno’s team received seven votes, which pits them around the No. 40 position.

The Huskies and the Blue Demons face each other Thursday at 7:00 p.m. in Chick Evans Field House. This will be the second meeting of the two teams this season. NIU handed DePaul a loss earlier this season at Alumni Hall.

The Huskies, coming off the weekend victories to NSC opponents, stand at 19-4 prior to DePaul.

The only team higher on the poll than NIU that the Huskies have beaten this season is Northwestern. The Wildcats also remain in the same spot as last week with a No. 15 ranking.

Louisiana Tech, the AP’s No. 1 team, is the only unbeaten team in competitive Division I women’s basketball with a 21-0 mark. The University of Nevada-Las Vegas (21-1) rests at the No. 2 spot, while Stanford (20-1) completes the Top Three.

South Carolina (15-6) and Stephen F. Austin (19-2) are both teams NIU has played this year, but lost. The Gamecocks are ranked No. 19 and the Lady Jacks No. 8.

No. 23 is the highest spot NIU has reached this season.