After its loss to Eastern Michigan Wednesday, the NIU women’s basketball team is fifth in the MAC West standings.

Saturday’s game against Central Michigan at 2:05 p.m. at the Convocation Center will give the Huskies a chance to make up some ground.

In their last of a three-game homestand, the Huskies will have to break the second-ranked scoring defense in the MAC.

CMU (14-9 overall, 5-7 MAC) only allows 55.8 points per game. The Chippewas are second in blocks at 3.78 per game in the MAC and number three in steals at 10.2 per game.

NIU forward Jamie Wilson said her team will be ready to bounce back into form.

“We need to come out focused,” Wilson said. “Our goal is to get to Cleveland, and then take one game at a time.”

And one game at a time may be the only solution to the Huskies’ three-game skid. Last week the Huskies were 5-4 in the MAC West standings, but have since fell to 5-7.

The Huskies will try to repeat their performance in which they beat CMU 59-57 on its home court earlier this season.

Both teams rebound the ball well. NIU is second in rebounding in the conference at 39 boards per game in the MAC. CMU is first in rebounds allowed per game at 34.

CMU comes in with a balanced scoring attack. The Chippewas’ two leading scorers average 11 ppg each.

If NIU wants to beat CMU, leading scorers Kristin Wiener and Stephanie Raymond will have to play more consistently. Against EMU, they had 9 points combined.

“We just have to keep our heads up and just look forward to Central Michigan,” Raymond said.