Looking at a double-digit halftime deficit on the road has been a bad omen this

season for the NIU women’s basketball team.

But this time, the team didn’t even flinch.

An offensive explosion in the second half keyed the Huskies to a 77-74 victory over Miami (Ohio) Saturday. The win was the first on the road this season for NIU (7-12

overall, 3-3 MAC).

“This was one of the best wins we’ve had all season,” NIU head coach Carol Owens said. “It gives us confidence with a win on the road against a good team.”

NIU guard Kylie York led the second-half outburst with a team-high 27 points in the game, 22 of those points coming in the second half.

“[Kylie] was huge for us,” Owens said. “When she got in that rhythm, they just couldn’t stop her.”

NIU trailed the RedHawks (11-9, 3-3) 37-22 at the break. But within the first six minutes of the second half, York hit five three-pointers. This lead a 21-6 run for the Huskies to deadlock the game at 43.

The second half continued to go back and forth until NIU finally started to pull away, leading by as many as 12 point with four minutes to go in the contest.

The Huskies’ defense held Miami to a 29 percent field goal percentage in the second half. During the same period, NIU’s offense erupted by shooting 76 percent from the

field.

Owens attributed the success in the second half to focusing on defense and making the easy shots.

“We missed a lot of shots early on,” Owens said. “We got away from our defense.”

Miami was paced by guard Amanda Jackson with 27 points and forward Laura Markwood with 24 points.