Women’s basketball dropped its sixth straight game when it failed to keep up with Central Michigan’s high-powered offense.

The Huskies (8-16, 4-10 MAC) fell to the Central Michigan Chippewas (17-9, 13-1 MAC), 85-77, Saturday at the Convocation Center.

Trailing 83-77 with 1:09 to play following a 3-pointer by senior guard/forward Ashley Sneed, the Huskies fouled CMU guard Crystal Bradford, sending her to the free-throw line. Bradford missed both free throws, but the Chippewas grabbed the rebound, forcing another foul by the Huskies.

Chippewas guard Kerby Tamm drained both free throws with 55 seconds, and the Chippewas went on to clinch the MAC West title with an 85-77 victory over NIU.

“Against a team like Central [Michigan], every possession you have to be locked in,” said head coach Kathi Bennett. “… Those little breakdowns hurt us because we have to earn everything.”

The game was played in a 19-point window, with NIU leading by as many as nine points and CMU leading by as many as 10 points.

The Huskies last led, 46-45, with 13:22 to play, following a pair of free throws from freshman guard Jazmine Harris.

The Chippewas then went on a 16-7 run over the next 3:32, as the Huskies turned the ball over twice and committed four fouls.

“I felt like when we got defensive stops and pushed, that’s when we got open looks and had an attack mentality,” Bennett said. “I felt like when we stagnated the ball and really slowed it down, that’s when we struggled.”

The Huskies shot 92.9 percent (13-14) from the free-throw line, but the Chippewas got to the free-throw line 30 times, including 26 attempts in the second half, making 19 (63.3 percent).

“…That was the difference in the game,” said junior guard Amanda Corral. “I feel like we gave them a lot of free throws, and we didn’t get very many.”

Corral (23), Harris (14), Sneed (12), redshirt junior forward Jenna Thorp (12) and junior forward Natecia Augusta scored in double figures for the Huskies. They were the first quintet of Huskies to score in double figures since the MAC opener against Ohio Jan. 4 at the Convocation Center.

“I kind of got the message I need to attack more,” Corral said. “I feel like I wasn’t being as aggressive as I can be, previously. Now, I feel like I’m getting into a groove where I can attack the basket, finish and pull up.”

Corral joined the 1,000-point club with her second basket of the game, which came 3:25 into the contest. She is NIU’s 26th member of the elite club and the first since former guard Marke Freeman joined Jan. 8, 2011.

Bradford finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, two blocks and one steal in 37 minutes.