Women’s basketball returns home, a place where it has found success, today after enduring road woes over the past month.

In a cross-divisional battle, the Huskies (8-11, 4-5 MAC) will host the Akron Zips (12-8, 6-3 MAC) at 7 p.m. at the Convocation Center.

They enter the contest with a 2-3 mark in their last five games, whereas the Zips bring with them a five-game winning streak.

The Huskies have struggled on the road lately: They have gone 1-4 on the road since the beginning of January and have averaged only 57.4 points per game.

Conversely, they have found solace at home since the calendar changed to 2014. They are 3-1 at home since Jan. 1 and have averaged 67 points per game.

“The home atmosphere, we practice here, that definitely, I think, has a little influence on it,” said redshirt junior guard Danny Pulliam. “We definitely like playing in front of our fans. [We have] a little more confidence here.

“On the road, we play against bigger crowds, and that’s a little different. I think we’re just used to this atmosphere. So, I think that’s the biggest thing. Although that shouldn’t affect how we play, I think it does a little bit.”

In its last four games — two home and two road, with a 1-3 record — NIU has allowed an average of 54.8 points per game. The offense, on the other hand, has been anemic, averaging only 51 points per game.

“I have no complaints on the defensive end,” said head coach Kathi Bennett. “The games that we have lost, we’ve played extremely well on that end of the floor, and it’s just too bad that we couldn’t get some shots to fall.

“Games are played on both ends, and we just have to be able to play hard and with intensity and focus on both ends of the floor, not just one.”

The Zips have struggled away from home this season. They are 9-1 at home, 0-1 at neutral sites and 3-6 on the road; however, they have won their last two road games by 22 and 20 points, respectively.

Akron is led by double-double machine Rachel Tecca. Tecca, the senior guard and reigning MAC Player of the Year, has averaged 23.6 points per game, which leads the MAC during conference play, and 11.6 rebounds per game, which is second in the conference.

The Zips also boast the second-leading scorer during conference play: senior guard Hanna Luburgh, who has averaged 22.8 points per game and 6.3 rebounds per game.

“We have to play good team defense,” Bennett said. “We have to help one another. We have to pinch gaps. We have to rally to the ball. When we bring doubles, we’re going to have to get out a little quicker. We really gotta be alert off the ball. When you play multiple scorers that can do multiple things, you just have to be great off the ball, you really gotta have some people flying around. We’re capable of that, so that’s the exciting part.

“All five can shoot the 3[-pointer]. With their bigs, they post up extremely hard, too. … They’re one of the best teams in transition; they really get it and go. … They’re definitely an offensive juggernaut, and hopefully, like the Super Bowl, defense will prevail.”