NIU’s women basketball players aren’t getting much rest these days.

The Huskies head into their second home game in three days as they take on the South Carolina Lady Gamecocks at 7:30 p.m. at Chick Evans Field House.

The women cagers enter tonight’s match after losing to 11th-ranked Ohio State Tuesday. While the Huskies were disappointed in their loss, they are not letting it get them down.

“I think we had a very good practice,” coach Jane Albright said after Wednesday’s workout. “We know what we have to do to win.”

Albright said she is testing new starting-lineup combinations to possibly improve her team’s performance. Lisa Foss, Gina Stubbs and Tammy Hinchee still will see their starting positions, but new starters include senior Nikki Dallas and freshman Dianna Wingis.

Dallas will get playing time at the point guard position, while 6-foot-3 Wingis will get action at the forward spot. Wingis did see time in both the Butler and OSU game. While she has not had much chance to score, she has grabbed 10 defensive rebounds, second to Hinchee’s 16.

“Dianna is capable of helping us out,” Albright said. “Nikki did a nice job for us coming off the bench in Tuesday’s game, so we want to try this combination.”

The person Albright really wants to have starting is Carol Owens. Owens is not 100 percent after her knee injury of a year ago. Albright said Owens has been working hard to regain her top form.

“We need to get her in physical shape,” Albright said. “We need her badly.”

Foss has been a force for the Huskies. She is the team’s leading scorer with an average of 21.5 points per game. She, Stubbs and Hinchee have done most of the scoring so far.

Free throw shooting is another plus for the Huskies. Owens was 6-of-6 from the free throw line against OSU and Hinchee shot 5-of-5 at Butler.

“We are what I thought we were,” Albright said. “We are an excellent free throw shooting team.”

Albright admits South Carolina is not going to be a pushover. The Lady Gamecocks were Metro Conference champs one year ago. The Lady Gamecocks won the only other contest between the two schools 86-66.

“South Carolina is another team with a winning tradition,” Albright said. “We match up with them physically.”

Albright said she expects South Carolina to put on the pressure from the very beginning with a full-court man-to-man pressure defense.

Guard Martha Parker is the pace-maker for the Gamecocks. Parker has an average of 13 ppg and 5 rebounds per game. Schonna Banner is another top Carolina player, according to Albright. The 6-foot-3 sophomore plays center for the Lady Gamecocks.

“Parker is a catalyst to the team,” Albright said. “Carolina has an excellent freshman class. The team is real balanced.”

There will not be any relaxation for the Huskies after tonight’s game, because Saturday and Sunday are two very important days for the team. California State-Long Beach, North Carolina-Charlotte and Iowa will visit Chick Evans Field House for the Fifth Annual Fastbreak Fest.