Maybe it was the love of basketball. Maybe it was getting hit in the head by a Dan Marino pass.

Whatever it was, Shannon Baugh, first-year NIU women’s basketball assistant coach realized coaching was her true calling.

Even though Baugh was rubbing elbows with the likes of Brett Favre and Marino- who hit her with a pass during warmups- she decided the media was not for her.

Before coaching, Baugh had worked as an editor, sports reporter and producer for a CBS affiliate in Green Bay for five years before she gave coaching a shot.

“Coaching is always something that I’ve wanted to do,” Baugh said. “I followed coach [Carol] Hammerle all her career and she gave me a great opportunity.”

Baugh got her first break with Wisconsin-Green Bay in 2001 and soon moved on to the University of North Dakota and Bradley the following two seasons.

“Someday I want to become a head coach,” Baugh said. “This is my fourth year and I’m just trying to learn as much as I can as an assistant.”

Baugh has been on the bench this season to see NIU’s longest losing streak since 1997.

The Huskies, losers of nine in a row, will try to break that streak when they take on Buffalo at 1 p.m. Saturday.

On Saturday, the Bulls -losers of 11 of their last 12 games and owners of the MAC’s worst record – will look to pick up their fifth win of the year.

Heather Turner leads Buffalo (4-21 overall, 2-12 MAC) with 11.4 points per game and Brooke Meunier is second at 10.4.

“They have an inside and outside presence,” Hammerle said. “We just need to continue to play defense the way we have been.”

The Huskies (6-19, 3-11) will look to sophomore guard Stephanie Raymond and junior forward Jamie Wilson to get back on the winning track.

Raymond averages a team-high 15.1 while Wilson grabs six rebounds per game.

“We need to rely on the leadership of Jamie and Stephanie,” Hammerle said. “We need to keep our energy up and continue to be positive.”