DEKALB, Ill. – The Miami University women's basketball team (9-3) lost its conference opener to Northern Illinois (9-4) by a 71-82 margin on Saturday.
Savannah Kluesner had a season-high 27 points and recorded her second double-double of the season with 11 rebounds.
Lauren Dickerson hit the 20-point mark for the third time this season with a season-high 25 points.
Kendall McCoy also hit double figures with 13 points.
NIU scored the first basket of the game after 2:16 of play before Kluesner immediately tied the game at two. After Kluesner's points, the Huskies went on a 7-0 run over 1:27 to take a 9-2 lead before McCoy hit Miami's first three-pointer of the afternoon.
The teams traded baskets before NIU sunk three in a row to lead 18-9 with 2:49 to play in the first quarter. Dickerson closed the gap to six before the RedHawks ended the first 10 minutes with a 14-22 deficit.
NIU increased its lead to 13 points with 7:10 to play in the first half before Kluesner made three-straight layups to put herself in double figures halfway through the second quarter and cut the Huskies lead to 31-24. NIU responded with a 9-0 run before Dickerson went on a run of her own, scoring seven points in just over a minute.
The Huskies scored the final four points of the first half to increase their lead to 44-31 at the half.
McCoy scored the first basket of the second half but NIU answered with six-straight points of its own to increase its lead to 50-33 with 7:25 left in the third quarter. Dickerson started Miami's 8-0 run with a steal and a layup.
With 4:15 remaining in the third quarter, Dickerson hit 20 points for the third time this season. Kluesner scored the RedHawks final five points of the third quarter. Miami trailed NIU 50-58 after 20 minutes of play.
The Huskies started the fourth quarter with three free throws before Kluenser and Dickerson got onto the scoreboard once again. Kluesner hit the 20-point mark for the second time this season with 5:43 left in the game. McCoy hit double digits with one of her three sunk from behind the arc.
The RedHawks cut the Huskies' lead to as little as seven with two minutes to play before starting to foul. NIU made 10 free throws in the final two minutes to hold of Miami's rally.
Miami faces Toledo on Wednesday in the first conference game in Millett Hall this season. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
