NIU women’s basketball coach Carole Hammerle said she thinks basketball is a game of momentum swings.

On Monday, it was her Huskies who stopped a Buffalo run and used the momentum to build a 15-point lead at halftime, on the way to a 66-47 win over the Bulls (4-12 overall, 2-4 MAC).

“I really feel the game is played in momentum swings,” Hammerle said. “We had a few turnovers and a couple of fouls, which allowed them to get on a roll. I called the timeout to stop that and for us to regain a little composure. And I think it worked and it was effective. It put a halt to it.”

The run, which lasted the final six minutes of the first half, turned a slim 16-15 NIU lead into a 30-15 lead at halftime. The 15 points were one point shy of the Convocation Center low for a women’s game. Akron scored 14 in a half against NIU last season.

During the run, sophomore Joi Scott scored six of her team-high 13 points. Scott, who came off the bench, finished with 10 rebounds and her third career double-double.

Teammate Jennifer Youngblood added 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Huskies (9-9, 4-3). It was her seventh double-double of the season.

“[NIU] had two great kids inside in Joi Scott and Jennifer Youngblood,” Buffalo coach Cheryl Dozier said. “They went at us and I knew Carol would go at us. It’s a credit to her kids and how hard they play. Both [Youngblood and Scott] played well getting double digits in points and rebounds.”

Freshman point guard Stephanie Raymond finished with 12 points for the Huskies, who now have won four of their last five games.

Buffalo’s Jessica Kochendorfer scored a game-high 14 points, while Bellinda Gibb and Kim Kilpela had 12 and 10, respectively.

The Huskies are now a half-game behind fourth-place Toledo in the MAC West. NIU and Toledo will face off Saturday in Toledo.