Darren Everson of the Wall Street Journal wasn’t joking when he published an article April 1 discussing a college football playoff replacement for the BCS.
However, Everson’s unique take on the current college football landscape places NIU in rare air among the nation’s elite programs.
Comparable to the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, Everson and staff created a 64-team bracket based on the final regular-season BCS college football standings. The results of the bracket show the wild unpredictability of college sports.
To demonstrate, each basketball team from this year’s tournament was replaced with the corresponding college football team based on final BCS rankings. Each team progressed through the bracket just as their basketball counterpart did, creating upsets and unthinkable matchups.
Auburn, Oregon, TCU and Stanford were selected as the top four seeds in their regions representing the selections of Ohio State, Kansas, Pittsburgh and Duke. As for eighth-seeded Butler, they were replaced by none other than the Huskies of Northern Illinois University.
Date posted: April 1, 2011 | Author: Bradley Hoey | Comments Off on NIU in the Final Four?
Northern Illinois University graduate student Aaron Vermedal is among several College of Visual and Performing Arts students who are participating in a study abroad program in Poland during NIU’s spring break. Aaron is documenting his and fellow students’ experiences overseas, and he is sharing these experiences via a video log (vlog). Check back throughout the week for more updates from NIU students in Poland!
Day 2 – March 14, 2011
Day 5 – March 17, 2011
Day 7 – March 19, 2011
Date posted: March 14, 2011 | Author: Bradley Hoey | Comments Off on NIU students document study abroad program in Poland
Although none of the gymnasts on this year’s Northern Illinois gymnastics team had ever competed in NIU’s Chick Evans Fieldhouse before, the Huskies looked right at home in the team’s former home while competing in the State of Illinois Classic Saturday.
Senior gymnast Holly Reichard would earn All-State honors during the State of Illinois Classic hosted by NIU at Evans Field House on Saturday, March 12.
Northern Illinois used its season-best performances on uneven parallel bars and balance beam to post its highest team score since 2009 and take second place in the four-team meet between the state’s four NCAA Division I gymnastics teams. No. 16 Illinois claimed the Illinois Classic Championship with a 196.975, while the Huskies’ 194.025 score gave them second place ahead of Illinois-Chicago (193.325) and Illinois State (192.650).
NIU gymnasts earned their season best scores on 10 routines Saturday, with five individuals matching or tying their career best efforts on eight sets. Four different Huskies earned seven scores or 9.800 or higher, a fact which has NIU Head Coach Mark Sontag feeling good about his team going into next Saturday’s Mid-American Conference Championships in Mt. Pleasant, Mich.
“We’re the best we’ve been all year right now,” Sontag said. “We are where we want to be at this time of the year. We have more confidence and we believe we can do this, so we’re going hard after it. Today, we came out aggressive from the beginning, we were focused on the tenths and we did all the things we’ve been working on. I am really pleased because the girls have worked so hard to get to where we are and seeing all their hard work pay off has been great.”
Northern Illinois senior all-arounder Holly Reichard (Palatine, Ill./Fremd HS) continues to display her best gymnastics since the 2009 campaign as she took third place on both balance beam and uneven parallel bars while recording scores of 9.850 on each event. Her 9.850 on bars was the top score of her career on the event, while the 9.850 on balance beam tied her career top score, set in 2008. She added a sixth-place finish on floor exercise with a 9.775 and scored a 9.675 on vault to take fourth place in the all-around with a season-best score of 39.150.
“Holly put up a 39 for the second straight week; she looked great, especially on bars and beam,” Sontag said. “She’s got a lot of confidence right now. Natalie Sutter has worked so hard on her floor routine, which is packed with so much difficulty. To see her nail it, knowing all the training that has gone into it, is really fun to see. Jessie Watanabe started us out on bars with a 9.8 and came back with a 9.8 on beam so she’s really on her game right now.”
Sutter (Barberton, Ohio/Coventry HS) joined Reichard on the All-State team after leading the way on both vault and floor exercise for NIU Saturday. Sutter tied her career high with a 9.750 on vault to tie for eighth and scored a 9.825 on floor to tie for third place, and was her career best. Watanabe’s (Palatine, Ill./Palatine HS) scores of 9.800 on bars and beam marked her best effort ever on bars and a season-high on balance beam. Junior Ashley Guerra (Orland Park, Ill./Carl Sandburg HS) also recorded a pair of 9.8s for the Huskies with a 9.825 on uneven bars and a career-high 9.800 on balance beam.
The Huskies’ team total of 48.925 on uneven parallel bars tied for the fifth-highest bars score in school history.
The end result is that a Northern Illinois team with a season record of just 3-10 heads into the Mid-American Conference Championships on the upswing. With the training of the past few weeks showing up in the Huskies’ latest meets, Sontag does not plan on changing the team’s routine.
“Every week, I see something we have worked on in training put into use, and the ability to take it from practice to competition is putting us in a great spot going into the MAC Championships,” Sontag said. “What we’ve been doing is working, so we’re going to keep going. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it, right?”
The Huskies’ performance came in front of a group of more than 30 NIU gymnastics alums who returned to Northern Illinois for the day. Following the meet, most of the alumnae and their families joined all four teams for a post-meet meal.
“It was exciting to have so many alumnae back for this meet, and it definitely made today even more special,” Sontag said. “Many of them competed in this facility so I think it was fun for them to be here and it was great to see them again.”
Northern Illinois will compete in the Mid-American Conference Championships in Mt. Pleasant, Mich. next Saturday, March 19 at 1 p.m. (Central).
Date posted: March 13, 2011 | Author: Bradley Hoey | Comments Off on NIU gymnasts takes second at State of Illinois Classic
Northern Illinois University assistant coach Sundance Wicks will serve as Interim Head Coach of the NIU men’s basketball program, NIU Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics Jeff Compher announced Thursday. Wicks will lead the program during its current head coaching transition.
“It is important for our staff and student-athletes to have a point of contact during this transition period,” said Compher. “Sundance, along with the rest of the staff, will help keep our team organized and on track academically. He is an enthusiastic Huskie who wants the best for our players and this program.”
Wicks has spent the past four seasons as an assistant coach with the Huskies. Prior to NIU, Wicks was an assistant for one season at Colorado and two seasons at his alma mater, Northern State, under legendary head coach Don Meyer.
Compher indicated Wicks is not a candidate for the permanent head coaching position.
Northern Illinois announced Wednesday that head coach Ricardo Patton would not return for the 2011-12 season.
Date posted: March 11, 2011 | Author: Bradley Hoey | Comments Off on Wicks named interim head coach for NIU men’s basketball
Ricardo Patton, who completed his fourth season as Northern Illinois’ head men’s basketball coach in 2010-11, will not return to the Huskie bench, NIU Associate Vice President and Director of Athletics Jeff Compher and Patton announced Wednesday.
Ricardo Patton
“I appreciate the hard work and dedication to Northern Illinois University and our men’s basketball program that Ricardo and his staff have shown over the past four years,” Compher said. “The program has progressed academically under his leadership, and he and his staff have done a great job of becoming a part of this community and have been active members of our athletics department. We wish all of them the best in the future.”
“I’d like to thank Jeff Compher, [former NIU athletic director] Jim Phillips, [NIU] President [John] Peters and the entire Northern Illinois community for allowing me to be its men’s basketball coach for the past four years,” Patton said. “Although we have not won as many games as any of us would have liked, I do feel that we won in some other very significant areas in our men’s basketball program. My family and I have met some wonderful people during our four-year tenure here in the state of Illinois. We would like to wish the university and the community much success in the years to come.”
Northern Illinois completed its 2010-11 season with a 9-21 record following Tuesday night’s 74-54 loss to Bowling Green in the first round of the Mid-American Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament. The Huskies compiled a record of 35-83 under Patton over the past four years and went 19-44 in Mid-American Conference play since 2007-08.
Northern Illinois has retained the services of Collegiate Sports Associates to coordinate its men’s basketball head coaching search. The firm will work closely with Compher to help identify candidates for the position.
“I have no doubt that with the support of President Peters, our alumni and the Northern Illinois University community, we will attract a highly-qualified candidate to lead our men’s basketball program,” Compher said.
Date posted: March 10, 2011 | Author: Bradley Hoey | Comments Off on NIU men’s basketball head coach Ricardo Patton will not return
Rosie Rios, treasurer of the United States, will deliver a talk to NIU students on the importance of Latinos taking on leadership roles in public service.
Rosie Rios, treasurer of the United States
The lecture will be held at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 8, in the Altgeld Hall Auditorium.
“It is vitally important that we continue to expose our community to positive Latina role models, and we can think of none better than Rosie Rios,” said Emily Prieto, director of the NIU Latino Resource Center. “Her leadership sends a strong statement to the community about the value of Latina leaders.”
Prieto said Rios, a first-generation Mexican-American, will talk about her background and her work and give advice to students who are seeking public service.
“Her life story and accomplishments are inspiring,” Prieto said.
Rios serves as the 43rd treasurer of the United States. She has direct oversight over the U.S. Mint, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and Fort Knox, and is a key liaison with the Federal Reserve.
In addition, the treasurer serves as a senior adviser in the areas of community development and public engagement. She is especially passionate about supporting women in finance and issues of Main Street in the economic recovery.
Prior to her confirmation as treasurer, Rios worked at MacFarlane Partners, where she was managing director of investments. Working with MacFarlane Partners’ development and global capital partners, Rios played a central role in facilitating equity transactions for large mixed-use development projects in major urban areas.
Rios is a graduate of Harvard University.
Students who are interested in attending the lecture are asked to contact the Latino Resource Center at (815) 753-1986 to RSVP.
Date posted: March 7, 2011 | Author: Bradley Hoey | Comments Off on Rosie Rios to speak at NIU
The Northern Illinois University softball team won the Colorado State Classic, going 4-1 in the weekend tournament, including a doubleheader sweep Sunday.
The Huskies (6-8) held on to defeat Sacred Heart, 6-5 in the first game, then posted a 16-5 rout of Colorado State in their second game of the day.
“The offense carried the day again for us, which is obviously what we need,” NIU head coach Lindsay Chouinard said. “It was a great weekend going 4-1.”
Northern Illinois jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first courtesy of a Stephanie Tofft (Lincoln, Calif./Lincoln) double that drove in two runs. After Sacred Heart took a 3-2 lead in the top of the third, the Huskies responded with three runs in the bottom of the frame. Tofft drove in her third run of the game on her second double of the contest to start the rally. Zoe Sinner (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) and Amanda Sheppard (Oak Forest, Ill./Oak Forest) each knocked in a run to give NIU the 5-3 lead.
NIU added an insurance run in the bottom of the fifth when Adriana Sanchez (San Fernando, Calif./Alemany) scored from third on an error by the shortstop. It would turnout to be a big insurance run as the Pioneers would plate two runs in the top of the seventh. However, that would be as close as they would get and the Huskies would claim the victory.
The Huskies cruised in their second game of the day, racking up 16 runs on 14 hits on Colorado State. NIU’s game with the Rams was suspended by darkness last night with CSU leading 5-2 through three and a half innings. The Rams jumped out to a 5-0 lead, however NIU stormed back with two runs in the third and seven runs in both the fifth and sixth innings.
Sanchez accounted for five RBIs including a grand slam over the centerfield fence in the top of the fifth. She went 2-for-5 on the day and two runs scored.
Northern Illinois University returns to the diamond Tuesday, Mar. 15 when the Huskies face Drake in Stockton, Calif. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. CT.
Senior center Ebony Ellis tallied 18 points and 15 rebounds in her final game at NIU on Sunday night.
The Northern Illinois women’s basketball team dropped its Mid-American Conference Tournament first round matchup to Ohio, 72-56, Sunday night at the NIU Convocation Center.
The Bobcats (9-21, 4-12 MAC) claimed a 35-20 first half lead that sparked the victory as Ohio shot 50 percent to the field and held the Huskies (13-17, 7-9) to 30.2 percent. The loss ends Northern Illinois’ first season under head coach Kathi Bennett.
“I just really disappointed that it’s over, because I really enjoyed this year, especially this group of seniors,” Bennett said.
Ellis and Freeman will go down as two of the best women’s basketball players in NIU history. Freeman is only the third Huskie to average 14.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game for a career, joining E.C. Hill and Stephanie Raymond. Ellis ended her career with 995 points, 27th-most in NIU history, and 871 rebounds, seventh-most by any Huskie. Bennett credited the seniors with helping develop a team culture that fostered growth personally and between the lines.
“I think we really grew together,” Bennett said. “I really am thankful for the opportunity I had with this group.”
The Huskies showed so much growth through the season, two of their 13 victories came against regular season conference champions – Northern Iowa of the Missouri Valley, and Toledo of the MAC on NIU’s Senior Day.
Northern Illinois couldn’t find that same magic Sunday night. The Huskies hit only two of their first 16 shots, allowing the Bobcats to build a double-digit lead halfway through the first period. By halftime, the lead swelled to 15. The Huskies allowed 57.7 percent shooting (15-26) by the Bobcats in the opening stanza.
“We’d do good for most of the possession then we break down at the end of the shot clock,” Bennett said. “Give credit to Ohio, they shot really well. They came ready and they played a great game.”
The Huskies used an 8-0 run, their largest of the game, to cut an 18-point second-half deficit to 10 with 5:06 left. The Bobcats countered with a three-pointer from Erin Bailes, then capitalized on an NIU turnover to rebuild the lead the 15.
Bailes, a freshman who averages just over three points a game, may have surprised even herself by scoring 23 points, more than double her previous career high. Bailes hit 5-of-7 three-pointers and went 8-of-8 from the free throw line to lead all scorers.
Ellis led the Huskies with 18 points and 15 rebounds. Freeman finished in typical stat-stuffing fashion, tallying 12 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals. Sophomore Brittany Callahan also picked up some of the scoring load, pouring in all nine of her points in the second half.
Bennett’s first season at the helm of the Huskies saw NIU win 30 percent more games overall and 75 percent more conference games than 2009-10, despite the team losing three starters. Her signature pack defense helped NIU hold opponents to less than 40 percent shooting in 15 of 30 games. Opponents were stifled to less than 30 percent shooting on five occasions. Bennett also collected her 300th career win as the head coach of the Huskies, and has now totaled 309 victories in 18 seasons as a head coach.
The Huskies are set to return eight players, including freshman Jenna Thorp, who redshirted this season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament. NIU will add the services of five newcomers: Amanda Corral, Natecia Augusta, Janae Jackson, Claire Jakubicek and Satavia Taylor.
Head Coach Dave Grant congratulates Brad Dieckhaus shortly after the NIU wrestler captured the 184 lbs. title at the MAC Wrestling Championships on Sunday.
After missing all of last season with an injury, Northern Illinois University’s Brad Dieckhaus was on the podium at the 2011 Mid-American Conference Wrestling Championships after winning the title match at 184 Sunday at the NIU Convocation Center.
Dieckhaus, the No. 2 seed, scored a 3-2 decision over top seeded Casey Newburg of Kent State to take home the championship at 184.
“My mindset was to be patient and mistake-free,” Dieckhaus said. “I wanted to be positive and have a great attitude. Winning at home seems surreal. I had a lot of emotions. It was a pretty good feeling.”
After wrestling a scoreless first period, Dieckhaus, chose bottom to start the second period. He escaped to take a 1-0 lead, but Newburg quickly gained a 2-1 advantage with a takedown. Dieckhaus was able to escape again to tie the match at 2-2. The junior and native of St. Charles, Mo., earned the riding time point to take the bout.
“Brad is extremely dedicated and hard-working,” NIU head coach Dave Grant said. “He put all of his passion out there and the result is a MAC Championship. I am extremely proud of him for what he brings to the mat and what he brings to the team. He’s a special kid, a great person and he gave a great performance to win.”
Bryan Deutsch (Columbia City, Ind./Columbia City), who was competing for a MAC championship at 157, suffered a 10-9 decision to No. 1 seed Mark Lewandowski of Buffalo. Deutsch, who trailed 4-1 after the first period, stormed back in the second frame with a reversal and two-point near fall to take a 5-4 advantage.
The redshirt senior extended his lead to 7-4 with another two-point near fall to open the third period. However, Lewandowski kept it close with a reversal to cut the lead to one. A Deutsch reversal gave the NIU grappler a 9-6 advantage with under a minute left in the match. However, an escape and takedown by Lewandowski, plus the riding time point, gave the sophomore from Buffalo the 10-9.
Both Deutsch and Dieckhaus earned bids to compete in the 2011 NCAA Championships Mar. 17-19, in Philadelphia, Pa. Dieckhaus grabbed the only MAC bid to the NCAAs at 184, while Deutsch claimed one of three MAC bids at 157.
“Deutsch and Dieckhaus – the freshman look up to those guys,” Grant said. “They’ve got a lot of Huskie pride in ’em. I’m extremely proud of them. They are first-class individuals who give great effort.”
Four other Huskies were wrestling to place. Tristen DeShazer (Wichita, Kan./West), the No. 2 seed, was facing Seth Schaner of Eastern Michigan for third place at 141. The redshirt senior ended his Huskie career on a high note, scoring an 11-2 major decision victory to take third.
A newcomer and two freshmen also made incredible runs in the 2011 MAC Wrestling Championships. Mike Lukowski (East Dundee, Ill./Harper College), who did not win a conference match all season, won his third place match at 197, defeating Brian Sheehan, 3-1, scoring a reversal in overtime to beat the senior from Buffalo.
He then faced Erik Schuth of Ohio to determine a true second place. Lukowski’s tournament came to an end when he suffered an 8-0 loss to Schuth. He took third place at his first MAC Championships
Redshirt freshman Kevin Fanta (Lake Zurich, Ill./Lake Zurich) was wrestling for third place at 133, while true freshman Caleb Busson (Wadsworth, Ohio/Wadsworth) was competing for third at 174. While both wrestlers lost their respective matches to finish fourth, Grant was pleased with their efforts.
“The role our freshmen played was big,” he said. “Kevin Fanta was another key guy who had an outstanding performance at the championships. He was in the third place match.
“From upperclassmen to the freshmen, it was just an all-around tough performance by our guys. I am extremely proud of this team.”
The Huskies finished fifth in the team scoring with 39.5 points, while Central Michigan won it’s 10th straight conference title with 79 points. Kent State was second with 73.5 and Buffalo (69.5) took third. Ohio edged out NIU for fourth place with 41.5 points and Eastern Michigan finished in sixth with 14 points.
Talk of budget cuts, borrowing, deficits, tax increases and pensions have dominated conversation throughout the halls of the Illinois Capitol this year.
Legislators and staffers have debated whether the budget cuts actually cut the budget or whether they merely act as a substitute for the absence of federal funding.
The income tax hike is real enough, although increased taxes are perhaps not enough to stave off the need for more borrowing.
Then there is the pension issue.
For years, state pension funding has been used as a budget tool by both state budget officials and legislators.
Too frequently, required state pension contributions (the employer share) have been underfunded or funded only after other priorities of the General Assembly have been addressed. State officials justify the lack of, or reduced, pension contributions with a pledge that future year pension payments will be ramped up to sustain an employee benefit guaranteed in the Illinois Constitution.
Now, however, the state’s pension underfunding is estimated at over $70 billion; endangering the viability of the five pension systems for current and future retirees.
Members of the General Assembly last year approved legislation that changed the pension provisions for new state employees starting in 2011.
Down the road, that might lessen the fiscal pressure. But a problem still remains: the lack of funding for current debt.
Discussion of reductions in benefits for future earnings of current employees has mostly been centered on cost-of-living adjustments, a tax on retirement benefits or a hike in health care costs. All of those issues are in play this year as well as other adjustments.
Speaker Madigan also has been in the news mentioning that these questions might come before the Illinois Supreme Court. Prior to this year, however, the notion of diminished benefits consistently earned a blanket objection from the legislative and executive branches.
Because there seem to be no other funding sources, legislators are coming up with new proposals. Here are some to be aware of:
House Bill 146 amends articles of the Illinois Pension Code pertaining to the General Assembly, Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund, state employees, state universities, downstate teachers and judges.
It caps the highest salary for annuity purposes, final rate of earnings, final average compensation and final average salary for current members, participants and participating employees of the affected systems at $106,800.
However, it also authorizes that amount to be annually increased by the lesser of 3 percent or one-half of the annual percentage increase in the consumer price index for the 12 months ending in September. Further, it also bases employee contributions on these capped amounts.
It requires current participants in the state-funded pension and retirement systems to make a one-time, irrevocable election of one of the following:
the traditional benefit package under the applicable Article of the Pension Code.
the existing benefit package for new hires.
a self-managed plan (if made available by the participant’s employer).
It authorizes persons who became or become participants on or after Jan. 1, 2011, to irrevocably elect either the benefit package for new hires or the self-managed plan (if made available by the participant’s employer).
The bill sets forth the requirements for the self-managed plan and provides that if such a plan is available it is the default plan if a participant fails to make an election.
In the articles creating the state-funded pension and retirement systems, it provides that, beginning in Fiscal Year 2013, the state’s required contribution is the greater of 6 percent of the applicable employee payroll or one-half of the actuarially determined normal cost of the benefit package for new hires. It also mandates that the required employee contribution be based on the benefit package elected by the participant.
House Bill 3081 amends the Illinois Pension Code by decreasing the amount of the annual increases in benefits to which current and future annuitants, participants and survivors of the state-funded pension and retirement systems are entitled.
House Bill 3375 temporarily suspends the Illinois Pension Code-created retirement annuities or pensions to members or participants who become full-time employees and members of any other Illinois Pension Code-created system or fund.
House Bill 3427 applies only to persons who are participants on the effective date or who first become participants on or after the effective date
It requires all pension funds and retirement systems established under the Illinois Pension Code to exclude the following items when computing the compensation, salary or wages upon which an annuity, pension or other benefit is to be based:
lump sum payments for retirement, severance and sick or vacation time, and
any annual increase in compensation, salary or wages of more than 6 percent.
Senate Bill 1318 amends various acts relating to the governance of state universities.
It repeals the 50 percent tuition waiver to children whose parents have been employed at state universities for an aggregate period of at least seven years.
Legislators also have introduced a host of technical or “shell” bills relating to public employee benefits.
In past years, these were often used to address specific limited situations. This year, they could carry a more ominous message for state employees.
The Voices section of NIU Today features opinions and perspectives from across campus. Ken Zehnder is director of state and local relations for NIU.
Date posted: March 2, 2011 | Author: Bradley Hoey | Comments Off on Statehouse update: Pension changes loom for state employees as lawmakers wrestle budget
Just when Marke Freeman thought her Senior Night could not get any better, it did.
Freeman, one of four seniors on the Northern Illinois women’s basketball roster, led her team to a 57-53 upset over Mid-American Conference regular season champion Toledo, Saturday at the Convocation Center.
Senior guard Marke Freeman is all smiles as she accepts a marriage proposal from boyfriend Kenny Anderson shortly after the Huskies' victory over Toledo on Saturday afternoon.
After the night appeared to peak with the win, surrounded by family and friends in a postgame reception, Freeman’s longtime boyfriend Kenny Anderson proposed. And just like Freeman had fans saying when she hit the game-sealing free throws, she said “yes.”
The Huskies improved to 12-16 overall and 6-9 in MAC games. Toledo lost for only the second time in league play, falling to 13-2 in conference games and 21-7 overall.
“I’m really happy for our seniors to get this win,” NIU head coach Kathi Bennett said. “To beat the best, on your home court, on Senior Night, means a lot.”
Freeman wasn’t the only senior to have a near-perfect night. Ebony Ellis scored 19 points and grabbed 16 rebounds to co-lead the Huskies to victory. Ellis’ total on the glass included seven offensive boards, and Bennett said she estimated Ellis touched “95 percent” of missed shots when she was on the floor. Bennett had high praise for all of her seniors’ games.
“Their performances were about as special as it gets,” Bennett said.
The Huskies held the MAC Champions at bay with clutch free throw shooting and defense down the stretch. Toledo’s Melissa Goodall connected on a 3-pointer with 59 seconds remaining to bring the Rockets to within two points. From that point forward, the Huskies hit 7-of-8 free throws, including six makes by Freeman, to close the door on the champions.
NIU played one of the best defensive halves of the season over the opening 20 minutes, holding Toledo to 29.6 percent shooting and just 22 points.
“Our first-half defense was incredible,” Bennett said.
That defense allowed the Huskies to take a 28-22 lead into halftime. While Toledo upped its field goal percentage to 52.4 in the second half, NIU rebounded, forced turnovers, and hit buckets at critical moments to carry the day.
“Our focus, our discipline, our intensity was there for 40 minutes,” Bennett said. “We made crucial shots at crucial times.”
The Huskies can secure a MAC Tournament First Round home game with a win Wednesday, March 2 at Ball State. Even with a loss, Saturday’s win has given NIU the inside track on Western Michigan to host. The only scenario in which the Huskies would be forced to play a road game includes an NIU loss and a Western Michigan win at Eastern Michigan.
After the exuberance over the Toledo win died down, Freeman summed up the Huskies’ current situation two brief sentences.
“There’s more basketball to be played,” she said. “This is just the beginning.”
For highlights and more on the NIU victory over Toledo logon to www.NIUHuskies.com.
Date posted: February 26, 2011 | Author: Bradley Hoey | Comments Off on Huskies upset MAC regular season champ Toledo on Senior Night
