Rebounding has been a strength for the NIU women’s basketball team all year.

It hasn’t been just pulling down balls off the boards for the Huskies – they have also been able to rebound back after a tough loss all season.

That is what NIU (11-11 overall, 6-3 MAC) will be trying to do after falling to Kent State last weekend. Tonight they face off against the Miami (Ohio) RedHawks (13-9, 5-4) at 7 p.m. at the Convocation Center.

NIU is 7-3 this season in games following a loss.

It’s that resiliency that has become a characteristic of the current Huskie team, as well as one of its biggest strengths, said head coach Carol Owens.

“I think it’s our job as coaches to get them to bounce back,” Owens said. “We’ve had a good mentality this year. This team is resilient, we’ve got a lot of emotional leaders, we’ve got a lot of competitors and that helps.”

If NIU wants to bounce back against the RedHawks, it will have to play a more complete game overall, both on offense and defense.

The Huskies shot a season low 28.6 percent from the field against Kent State, with only two Huskies scoring in double digits. Those numbers could turn around against the RedHawks, as junior Kylie York put up 27 against them last year, going 7-11 from long range.

NIU was also out rebounded 51-36 Saturday, a rarity for a team whose calling card is dominance on the glass.

“Our identity is a team that’s a very good rebounding team,” Owens said. “We have to continue to mature, and do what we do best.”

If they want the chance to rebound, then they will have to play good team defense, an aspect of the Huskies’ game that Owens has been emphasizing. The RedHawks are shooting 40 percent from the field as a team, and have a hot offensive option in redshirt senior Jaclyn Leininger, who is coming off a career-high 24 points her last time out.

“I don’t think we should have one person that’s going to solely be on [Leininger],” Owens said. “Most of our philosophy has been on good team defense, and I think that’s what we’ll try to do on Wednesday.”