The NIU women’s basketball team is within striking distance of a .500 MAC record.

With three games left, NIU (10-14, 6-7) must win two of three games to finish with an 8-8 conference record for the first time since the 2002-03 season.

In the past two seasons, NIU has struggled to a combined 11-21 MAC record.

In coach Carol Owens’ first year on the bench, Stephanie Raymond said NIU has improved drastically.

“Coming off last year, we only won four conference games,” Raymond said. “To do better than that already is huge for us.”

Stepping up

Kristin Wiener has scored 20 points in two of the last three games and has averaged 17.6 points per game in that span.

The junior center also leads NIU with 6.6 rebounds per game, 3.8 free throws made per game and one block per game.

Season highs

When NIU thumped Central Michigan 68-42 Saturday, the 26-point margin of victory was a season high.

NIU also had a season-low 13 turnovers and forced CMU into 23 miscues. NIU took advantage of the extra scoring chances and outscored CMU 25-7 in points off turnovers.

Raymond matched her season high with nine assists against CMU. The junior guard also dished out nine assists in a 73-64 win over Indiana-Purdue Ft. Wayne.

“To be honest, I’d rather give a nice pass and get an assist than score,” Raymond said. “I think it is more important for me to get my teammates involved in the game.”

Knotted at the top

It all comes down to this; a four game season for the NIU men’s basketball team.

NIU and Western Michigan sit atop the MAC West division with identical 8-6 conference records.

WMU hosts NIU for the final game of the season March 4. Based on the record of its opponents before the showdown, NIU has a slight edge.

The combined conference record of NIU’s next three opponents is 8-36, while WMU will play a slightly stronger slate of 12-30 opponents.

Fourth time’s a charm?

With its 98-97 double overtime victory Saturday, add Winthrop to the list of teams that have beaten NIU by a single point this season. It is the fourth such loss for NIU, which also has fallen to Illinois-Chicago, North Dakota State and Toledo by a single point.

Go-to guy?

Todd Peterson scored 21 points against Winthrop, sank 5-of-7 three pointers and pulled down five rebounds. Peterson assumed the team scoring lead at 11.1 points per game.

Guess who’s back

NIU’s second leading scorer, James Hughes, returned to action at Winthrop for the first time since playing six minutes against Ohio Feb. 9. Hughes was one of five from the floor and played for 16 minutes.

The junior center was sidelined after he suffered mild concessive symptoms in an 86-60 win over Western Michigan Feb. 4.