When NIU’s Jamie Wilson went down with a knee injury with 8:24 remaining in the first half, things did not look good for the Huskies.

Trailing Loyola by 11 in the women’s basketball season opener on Friday night, NIU was now without its starting center, who missed all of last season because of a torn right anterior cruciate ligament. She now has a torn left ACL.

Sophomore forward Joi Scott stepped in for the Huskies.

Once Scott took over for the injured Wilson, NIU (1-0) went on a Scott-led 64-36 run in the final 28 minutes to win 77-60.

During the run, Scott scored 22 or her career-high 24 points, including 15 points in a five-minute span.

“I knew when she went down that it would be a little tougher on us, but we had to not really forget about [the injury] but play a little harder to make up for it,” Scott said. “I just kept posting up strong and getting the ball. Coach is always getting on me in practice to go hard, so I went as hard and as strong as I could.”

The Huskies shot 50 percent from the field for the game, in large part because of the accuracy of Scott. Not only did the Reynoldsburg, Ohio native score the game high in points, she was efficient with the ball, shooting 9-of-10 from the field.

“I think Joi has grown tremendously from last year to now because of the competition she’s had to go against,” NIU coach Carole Hammerle said. “She’s more confident. Physically, she’s stronger, and I really think she’s still going to get better.”

Scott also had seven rebounds – four of them offensive – and two assists for the Huskies.

“We’re a little weak at that position, but I think she just dominated,” Loyola coach Mary Helen Walker said.