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Five women’s hoopsters score in double digits

November 2, 2013
Amanda Corral

Amanda Corral

In its lone preseason exhibition of 2013-14, the Northern Illinois women’s basketball team defeated Division II Lewis at the Convocation Center, 76-72. Five different Huskies scored 10-or-more points, with junior Amanda Corral (Hobart, Ind./Hobart) pacing the Huskies 15 points.

“Offensively, I thought we over dribbled some, but we had some really good looks,” said head coach Kathi Bennett. “We had a lot of people score and that’s something that is different for us. We missed some open shots but I thought down the stretch we maintained our poise and did a good job when it got tight.”

NIU carried a double-digit lead for over half of the contest, going almost 22 minutes, with a game-high 17-point lead with 4:43 remaining in the first half. The Flyers rallied back to as close as one point, 69-68, with 1:40 left in the contest.

Lewis did not back down from the start of the game, scoring took over the lead five minutes into the game and built a 14-point halftime lead, 44-30, with its run of play. Junior Natecia Augusta (Peoria, Ill./Limestone) was a force in the post against the Flyers, converting five field goals for the Huskies in the first period. Augusta closed the game with 13 points.

“It was a really tough matchup because they played a lot of guards, so it was just a different style of play than what we’ll see from here on out,” Bennett added. “I thought (Lewis’) transition offense was phenomenal, they really got out and ran. They got down the court and did a good job of getting us on our heels.”

Alexis Lindstrom

Alexis Lindstrom

While Augusta was working hard for Northern Illinois down low, sophomore Alexis Lindstrom (Howards Grove, Wis./Howards Grove) was hitting pay dirt from the outside in the stanza, hitting four three-point field goals in the half.

In her collegiate debut, freshman Ally Lehman (Nineveh, Ind./Indian Creek) closed the game with 10 points, accumulating all of her points in the first half.

Corral scored 11 of her 15 points in the second half, including four points from the free throw line in the stanza. She was a flawless 6-for-6 from the charity stripe.

As a collective unit, Northern Illinois made two more field goals than Lewis in the game, 29-27, including a six shot difference, 17-11, in the first half. From behind the arc, NIU also made two more baskets than the Flyers with a total of six three-point field goals in the contest, led by Lindstrom’s four.

The final Huskie to collect double-digit points was Danny Pulliam (Indianapolis, Ind./Pike), who scored eight points from the field and two from the free throw line for a total of 10.

Northern Illinois University will open the regular season Friday, November 7 at Green Bay, with tipoff set for 7 p.m. The Huskies will follow up with their home opener against Mississippi Valley State Tuesday, November 12 at 7 p.m. at the Convocation Center.

Danny Pulliam

Danny Pulliam

NIU women’s basketball season tickets are just $50, or $40 for NIU football season ticket holders, faculty/staff or seniors.

Season tickets for Huskie women’s basketball are a 45 percent discount over single game prices and guarantee fans the same seat for all 14 Huskie women’s home games this season as well as a ticket for a MAC Tournament game, either at home in DeKalb or in Cleveland. Courtside season tickets are also available for $100.

Also available again this season is the NIU Pack, featuring 10 general admission vouchers redeemable for any NIU men’s or women’s basketball game for just $30. Huskie basketball group tickets are available for groups of 20-or-more. Groups of 20-49 can purchase tickets for $3 while groups of 50-or-more can purchase tickets for any Huskie men’s or women’s basketball game for $2.

NIU students are admitted FREE to all regular season home men’s and women’s basketball games with a valid student OneCard.

For more information on NIU women’s basketball and Huskie athletics, visit www.niuhuskies.com.