DeKALB | Seven was the lucky number for Courtney Shelton Friday night.

With just 1.8 seconds left on the clock the junior guard drained a half-court buzzer beater to lead the NIU women’s basketball team (3-1) over Southern Illinois (0-3), 46-45.

Shelton played flawlessly from the floor going seven for seven with a career-high 21 points.

“She had a phenomenal game,” Huskies’ head coach Kathi Bennett said.

Originally, Bennett had drawn up the play for Shelton to throw the ball into play. Shelton convinced her coach, however, to have forward Kim Davis put the ball in play so she could attempt a half-court heave.

“I kind of persuaded [Coach Bennett] for Kim [to pass the ball in] because I wanted to take the last shot,” Shelton said.

For how thrilling the conclusion played out, the game itself wasn’t for the offensive hearted.

NIU shot 30.8 percent from the field while the Salukis totaled 43.9 percent.

While the Huskies struggled at the offensive end, the Huskies showed up in a big way on defense- the aspect that Bennett has preached will be their identity.

“I think we’re in a good spot,” Bennett said. “I think we’re starting to build trust and starting to believe in each other and that’s where you have got to start.”

NIU continues to go through the motions on offense as they look to find that balance. Shelton was the only Huskie to reach double digits as senior center Ebony Ellis worked in nine points on the night, good enough to be the second leading scorer.

“Offensively we were poor,” Bennett said. “We didn’t move the ball real well and we turned it over.”

A heavy road schedule was expected to test NIU early as the Huskies will be on the road six of their next seven games.

Shelton feels that the time together away from their residence at the Convocation Center has knitted the Huksies tighter together.

“It’s really helped us I think,” Shelton said. “We are with each other more…it’s rough being on the road for that long, but I’m just ready to stay focused and go with the game plan and come together as a team and win those games on the road.”