NIU point guard Monique Davis did it again to the University of Wisconsin as the NIU women’s basketball team improved to 2-0 on the season after winning in Madison 68-65 on Sunday.

The Huskies won their home opener on Friday night 77-60 against Loyola.

Davis scored a career-high 20 points and had four assists on Sunday. Last season, she hit the game-winning shot with 2.3 seconds left to beat Wisconsin to open the Convocation Center.

“Monique just did an unbelievable job as a floor general, taking control,” NIU coach Carol Hammerle said. “When we needed a basket, she provided that with penetration. If she wasn’t scoring herself, she was kicking to Lindsay [Secrest]. I’m very proud of my team’s performance today.”

Secrest had 16 points, 14 of which came in the second half. She was 4-of-4 in the second half from three-point range.

“I couldn’t throw it in the ocean in the first half because they were able to get hands in my face,” Secrest said. “Then, with Monique’s penetration and the post players, that opened things up and I got open looks.”

On Friday, good and bad came from the 77-60 victory.

The good was that sophomore Joi Scott left off where she was last year as MAC Freshman of the Year. She scored a career-high 24 points, rallying the Huskies from an eight-point halftime deficit. Scott had seven points and three rebounds against Wisconsin.

The bad was that sophomore Jamie Wilson, who returned to the team after missing all of last year with a torn right anterior cruciate ligament, tore her left ACL and is out indefinitely.

“It’s a tremendous loss to our team,” Hammerle said.

The Huskies began the second half on a 35-13 run to take control of the game.

Secrest and senior forward Jennifer Youngblood were the other two Huskies in double figures.

Youngblood was one rebound away from her 28th double-double.

Loyola guard Ciara Henderson led the Ramblers with 23 points, including five three-pointers.

With 11:56 left in the first half, Henderson connected on three straight three-pointers to turn a one-point lead into an 11-point lead.

“It was a game of tempos,” Loyola coach Mary Helen Walker said. “In the first half, the tempo catered to our style. In the second half, the tempo catered to their style.”

Hammerle stresses defense and was happy to allow 60 points in the opening game of the season. However, she also gave credit to Loyola.

“They were just incredible from behind the three-point arc,” Hammerle said. “The last five minutes of the first half and in the second half we did a much better job guarding the three.”