A first-round home game will be on the line when the NIU women’s basketball team plays visiting Ball State at 7 p.m. today at the Convocation Center in the last regular-season game of the season.

The Huskies (11-15 overall, 6-9 MAC) are 7-5 at the Convocation Center and 4-10 on the road.

“From Eastern on, we’ve been doing well,” NIU coach Carol Hammerle said. “We’ve responded well, but we have to take care of Ball State first, then worry about the MAC tournament.

If NIU and Ohio – which plays Buffalo tonight – are to win, they would finish in a three-way tie with Ball State at 7-9 in the MAC. The Huskies would edge Ohio by virtue of NIU winning the lone regular-season game between the two schools.

NIU and Ball State then would split the season series at 1-1. The Huskies would get the eighth and final home seed because they beat Kent State – the highest ranked opponent either team beat.

Ball State is led by MAC Player of the Year candidate Kate Endress, who is second in conference scoring, averaging 19.1 points per game. Endress is also second in the MAC in three-point shooting at 45.2 percent.

The game may be the final home appearance for NIU’s four seniors: Jennifer Youngblood, Lindsay Secrest, Stephanie Smith and Monique Davis.

“It’s significant because it’ll be the last [regular season] game at home,” Youngblood said, “but I’m glad it’ll be against Ball State because we’ve always had a good rivalry.”

“It’s going to be special,” Davis said. “This year is set up perfectly with Ball State being our last game.”