After two straight games in Ohio the NIU women’s basketball team will look to take advantage of a three-game home stand.

The first game is at 2:05 p.m. Saturday at the Convocation Center when NIU hosts Kent State.

The Golden Flashes (14-7 overall, 7-3 MAC) come into the game having won three of their last four game.

KSU also brings with it the leading scorer in the MAC, Lindsay Shearer.

The senior averages 19.1 points per game along with being tenth in rebounding and fifth in field goal percentage.

The Flashes are solid behind Shearer; scoring 68 ppg and forcing their opponents to shoot just 37 percent from the field. Those numbers put them third in the MAC in scoring average and second in defense of field goal percentage.

And even though this is the first time NIU Coach Carol Owens will play against KSU, she already knows how well it can play.

“They’re one of the best teams in the MAC,” Owens said. “Kent State is very athletic. They like to penetrate and kick out. We have to come with a lot of fire.”

For NIU (9-12, 5-5), the attack starts with rebounding. The Huskies out-rebound their opponents by an average of 5.2 boards per game; good enough for first in the MAC.

And if NIU wants to have a good home stand, Mary Basic will have to continue her strong play of late. Since Stephanie Raymond went down with a back contusion, Basic has been averaging 12.3 ppg.

But the extra offense from Basic was no surprise, Owens said. She always knew the junior could be a good scorer.

“When Mary plays well, it takes the pressure off of Stephanie,” Owens said. “And teams can not just focus on Stephanie.”

With a win, NIU would not only improve in MAC standings, but it would mark the first time this season it beat a team with a winning record in the MAC.