Fear not college basketball fans.

With one of the MAC’s best players already gone from the corn city, another is on the way.

Ohio University’s Player of the Year Candidate Brandon Hunter collected 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds on his trip to DeKalb.

Now a different type of player rolls in.

Hunter was a 6-foot-7 man of a power forward, while the next MAC star prefers to play from the perimeter.

Averaging 16 points, five assists and three rebounds per game, the reigning MAC Player of the Year Heather Cusick invades the Convocation Center today for a 7:05 p.m. tipoff against the Huskies.

“She’s probably a candidate for the MAC Player of the Year again,” coach Carol Hammerle said. “She’s complete. She can put it on the floor and shoot well from behind the arc.”

Cusick and the RedHawks bring a 10-10 overall record to the arena, including a 5-4 ledger in the conference to face an NIU team that’s won five of its last six games.

While the RedHawks use a strong inside game as a component to their success, the play of Cusick has been a cornerstone in the RedHawks’ wins.

“She’s a true competitor, whether it’s in practice or the games,” Miami coach Maria Fantanarosa said. “She plays with a lot of heart to win.”

Cusick was named to the All-MAC team in each of her first three years and has showed no signs of ending that streak this year.

The 5-foot-8 senior from Kokomo, Ind., poured in 36 points in a game earlier this season against Michigan State, becoming the first Miami women’s player with 500 career assists on December 30 and scored 28 points in 26 minutes before fouling out in a loss to Ball State Feb. 3.

“I just work hard every day in practice and leave it all on the court,” Cusick said.

While Cusick plays the point guard position, she is responsible for most of the team’s scoring, leaving her in a tough position.

“She’s a point guard in the MAC,” Fantanarosa said. “She’s asked to do a lot. We ask her to control the tempo, and unlike a true point guard, she is a scoring point guard.”

No matter what the accomplishments, this former Amateur Athletics Union All-American seems to take them all in stride.

Strides that just happen to be a few paces ahead of her peers.