Women’s basketball’s longest losing streak of the season continued, as it gave up a season-high 89 points Wednesday

The Huskies (8-15, 4-9 MAC) lost to the Akron Zips (16-8, 10-3 MAC), 89-75, at James A. Rhodes Arena in Akron, Ohio. They have lost five games in a row and haven’t won since they beat Kent State, 65-43, Jan. 29 at the Convocation Center.

NIU came into the game with the No. 2 scoring defense in the MAC, surrendering only 60.7 points per game; however, they gave up 89 points to the Zips, who came in with the No. 2 scoring offense (82.4).

Akron senior forward Rachel Tecca finished with a game-high 36 points and added nine rebounds, three assists and one steal in 30 minutes.

“She beat us down the floor,” said NIU head coach Kathi Bennett. “That’s something we knew was gonna happen. She just completely beat us down the floor; I don’t know if there’s more to say. And then when she beat us down the floor, we’d have our guards cover down, and then they’re open for the 3[-pointer], and they did not miss one.”

Akron led 48-30 at the intermission after it closed out the first half on a 15-3 run in the final 4:28. The 48 first-half points more than doubled the 20 first-half points it was held to when it downed the Huskies, 71-67, Feb. 5 at the Convocation Center.

The Huskies shot 48 percent (13-27) from the field in the first half, including one 3-pointer. Despite NIU’s good shooting, the Zips shot 53 percent (18-34) from the field and drained 50 percent (4-8) of their 3-point attempts.

The Huskies used a 7-0 run to pull within three points, 22-19, midway through the first half, but that would be as close as they would get the remainder of the game.

The Zips came out firing on all cylinders. They hit their first five shots from the field, including two 3-pointers, and led by 10 points, 12-2, 3:05 into the game.

With an 18-point halftime lead, the Zips cruised to their 10th MAC victory. They opened the second half on a 13-3 run and saw their lead balloon to 30 points. The Huskies made a late run, but they lost, 89-75.

Junior guard Amanda Corral scored a team-high 21 points. Guards Ally Lehman, Alexis Lindstrom and Danny Pulliam all scored in double figures.

“I thought the guards, the whole game, offensively, did a really nice job,” Bennett said. “I thought they finally got a good feel in the second half. That’s as good offensively as we have looked.”