Northern Illinois University women's basketball team, led by senior guard Jessie Wilcox, held onto a 76-72 lead to defeat Ball State University Wednesday night.
With the loss, the Cardinals (11-7, 4-1 Mid-American Conference) relinquished their top rank in the MAC West Division. No Ball State players or coaches were available for comment after Wednesday night's game.
The Huskies (9-9, 4-1 MAC) led by as many as13 points in the late stages of the second half before the Cardinals made a scoring surge that came too late.
Wilcox scored a season-high 20 points in 25 minutes of action, shooting better than 60 percent from the field. Wilcox's previous best was 18 points against Central Michigan University.
Wilcox was not the only Northern Illinois player shooting a high percentage. The Huskies shot better than 50 percent from the field as a team, including 7-for-13 from behind the arc.
Ball State's senior guard Porchia Green was one basket shy of matching her best scoring performance in a game as she contributed 26 points, finishing the game on a high note with a 3-pointer in the last seconds. Green was one rebound shy of a double-double and also dished out five assists.
One Cardinal who struggled hitting from the 3-point line was junior guard Audrey McDonald. McDonald connected on only one shot from behind the arc in 10 attempts, finishing with five points. McDonald did end the game with five assists.
Ball State's junior forward Danielle Gratton endured an apparent nose injury early in the first half and left the bench soon after to go back into the locker room. Sophomore forward Emily Maggert stepped up in Gratton's absence, scoring 15 points, grabbing four rebounds and blocking two shots.
Gratton did return to the bench with less than five minutes remaining in the first half and ended the game with 10 points and four rebounds.
Northern Illinois's bench outscored Ball State's bench players 27-4, 13 of which came from redshirt junior guard Marke Freeman. Freeman also dished out seven of the Huskies' 19 assists. Northern Illinois also beat Ball State in the battle of points off of turnovers. The Huskies got 22 points from 16 Ball State turnovers, while Ball State got 11 points from 18 Northern Illinois turnovers.
As Green shot free throws late in the second half while the Huskies held the lead, the Northern Illinois pep band and student section attempted to distract Green by "chirping," the common distraction that Ball State football fans do on defensive third downs.
Ball State's next game will be on the road against the University of Akron at 2 p.m. Saturday.
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