After watching her team play three games this season, NIU women’s basketball coach Carol Hammerle has her finger on what ails the Huskies.

“My biggest concern is our lack of focus on the defensive end,” said Hammerle, whose Huskies (1-2) play host Loyola (2-3) at 7 p.m. today. “Our players really want to get out and run and play offense. I do as well, but we need to have our defense be part of our offense.”

The Ramblers are coming off a 71-67 Monday win over Toledo. Their premier player is senior guard Meskhenet Lands, who averages a team-high 14.6 points and leads her team in steals.

Ciara Henderson and Mandy Mennella have attempted a combined 67 three-pointers this season for the Ramblers.

“Loyola’s strength is on the perimeter,” Hammerle said. “Lands is very good at getting her teammates good looks and Henderson and Mennella can really shoot the ball.”

Much of the Huskies’ shooting has been done by sophomore guard Stephanie Raymond, who is averaging 22.3 points a game and has taken nearly a third of her team’s shots.

NIU’s No. 2 scorer is sophomore guard Mary Basic with a 9.3 points-per-game average.

“Mary is so capable,” Hammerle said. “She just needs to be more consistent.”

Junior forward Jamie Wilson and sophomore center Kristin Wiener are the only other Huskies to attempt more than 11 shots this season. Wiener scored a career-high 12 points in NIU’s last game against Northern Iowa.

Wilson has made just six of 24 shots in her return from a left ACL tear which caused her to miss all but four games last season.

“Jamie’s shot has been a little off, but that will come when she gains more confidence,” Hammerle said. “Kristin came up strong against a big, physical Northern Iowa team.”