Women’s hoops sets record

Junior+forward+Kelly+Smith+shoots+the+ball+during+a+Jan.+7+game+against+Ohio+University+at+the+Convocation+Center.+The+Huskies+defeated+Ohio%2C+88-80.

Junior forward Kelly Smith shoots the ball during a Jan. 7 game against Ohio University at the Convocation Center. The Huskies defeated Ohio, 88-80.

By Danielle Brown

DeKALB — The women’s basketball team earned its 12th Mid-American Conference win, an NIU team record, Saturday against the Eastern Michigan Eagles in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

The Huskies defeated the Eagles, 81-71, to also earn their 10th road victory this season in a game where the Huskies did just enough to get past a struggling Eastern Michigan (6-22, 1-15 MAC) team.

“I thought there were spurts where we played good basketball,” said Head Coach Lisa Carlsen. “We did just enough, and I think that this was one of those games that we’ll go back and watch and continue to clean things up.”

Sophomore guard and forward Courtney Woods tied her own record for 3-pointers made in a game with six in route to a 22-point outing, which led a team of four players who scored at least 15 points. Junior forward Kelly Smith recorded her first double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 rebounds.

Senior guard Ally Lehman ended with 16 points, eight rebounds and six assists, to give her 496 in her Huskie career, and bringing her to within one of Stephanie Raymond, who played for the Huskies from 2003-07. Raymond ranks second all-time at NIU in career assists.

The Huskies (19-8, 12-4 MAC) started out the game strong going on a 15-4 run to control the first quarter and closed out the frame with a double-digit lead, 18-8.

The Huskies built on their lead in the second quarter, as they accumulated as much as an 18-point lead.

Many of the points came from 3-point range as they were 4-for-8 in the quarter.

The Huskies forced 13 turnovers against the Eagles, which helped them get out to a 12-point halftime lead, 37-25.

Eastern Michigan was never able to generate any momentum as the Huskies led wire-to-wire in this game.

NIU took a 19-point lead in the fourth quarter with five minutes left in the game.

The Eagles outscored the Huskies by three points in the fourth quarter, but NIU was able to hold on to secure itself a 10-point win.

The Huskies return to their home court 8 p.m. Wednesday to host the University of Toledo Rockets (19-8, 10-6 MAC) at 8 p.m. Wednesday for the teams’ Senior Night.

The team is set to recognize three seniors — guard Cassidy Glenn, forward Amber Gray and Lehman before the game. The game will broadcast on American Sports Network and on ESPN3.