What happened

Women’s basketball (10-13, 6-7 MAC) lost its third-straight game to the Toledo Rockets (14-10, 7-6 MAC), 73-57, Wednesday at Savage Arena in Toledo, Ohio.

How it happened

Toledo went on an 8-2 run at the 3:38 mark to finish the half with a lead of 36-22. The Rockets shot 51.9 percent from the field and 44.4 percent from behind the 3-point line in the opening frame. Toledo’s defense contained NIU’s offense and kept it to shooting 40 percent from the field.

In the second half Toledo’s hot shooting didn’t stop thanks in part to freshman guard Jay-Ann Bravo-Harriott and senior guard Inma Zanoguera. They combined for 38 points on 15-22 shooting from the field and 6-9 from the 3-point line.

At the 13:52 mark in the second half Toledo went on a 17-4 run to seal the game. Toledo shot 50 percent in the second half. NIU was shut down even more by Toledo’s defense and shot 36.7 percent from the field.

Northern Star players of the game

Huskies senior guard Amanda Corral had a game-high 27 points to go with three assists and two rebounds in 40 minutes. She shot 10-17 from the field.

Corral passed the 1,400-point mark of her career with those 27 points, making her the 13th Huskie to stamp their name on the list. Her 1,417 points are now 12th-most on NIU’s all-time scoring list.

Toledo’s Bravo-Harriott had a team-high 24 points. She shot 9-14 from the field and 6-9 from behind the 3-point line.

The number: 73

That is the number of points NIU gave up to Toledo. Toledo shot 50.9 percent for the entire game. The 73 points is the most allowed by NIU this season. The previous high was 67 points Jan. 21 in a 67-40 loss to the Ohio Bobcats.

The quote

“It’s the poorest defense we’ve played,” said head coach Kathi Bennett, according to an interview broadcast on NIUTube. “I feel like [Toledo’s] action really affected us; we got caught consumed with the action away from the ball, and they would beat us inside.”

Up next

The Huskies come back home to take on the Ball State Cardinals (14-10, 10-3 MAC) 5 p.m. Saturday at the Convocation Center.