Dec. 30, 2007

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DEKALB, Ill.-The Northern Illinois University women's basketball team looks to rebound from its loss to IUPUI when the Huskies take on Illinois State Monday at 2:05 p.m. at Redbird Arena.

"Illinois State is a very good team, very balanced," NIU head coach Carol Owens said. "They returned everybody from last year. It's going to be a big challenge for us. We've just got to bounce back and be ready for them."

Illinois State (9-1) leads the all-time series 21-7, however, the two teams have split their last six meetings. The Huskies (4-8) won the last contest between the two, defeating the Redbirds, 97-69, in the 2006-07 season opener Nov. 11, 2006 in the Convocation Center. NIU had four starters score in double figures in the Huskies highest scoring output of the Owens era. Stephanie Raymond led the way with 22 points. Whitney Lowe (Bushnell, Ill./Prairie City)scored a career-high 20 points in the contest. The last Redbird win came Nov. 26, 2005, a 60-50 decision. The Huskies have never won at Illinois State.

Northern Illinois is in the midst of a three-game road trip that began in Indianapolis and will conclude in Ypsilanti, Mich. Jan. 9, 2008 when the Huskies open conference play at Eastern Michigan. NIU is coming off a 58-55 loss to IUPUI Dec. 29, 2007 at IUPUI. Illinois State comes into Monday's game riding a five-game winning streak.

The two teams have played three common opponents this season. The Redbirds posted a 69-56 victory Western Illinois Dec. 19, 2007, and NIU defeated the Westerwinds, 60-59, Nov. 15, 2007 on a last second shot by Shari' Welton (Calumet City, Ill./Thornwood) at the Convocation Center. The Redbirds beat Green bay 79-70 Nov. 15, 2007, while the Huskies fell to the Phoenix, 76-54. Both teams dropped their contests with DePaul.

Kylie York (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) leads the Huskies in scoring, averaging 11.5 points a game and has hit 30 three pointers in the Huskies first 12 games. She also leads the way at the charity stripe, shooting 94.1 percent from the free throw line. Jessie Wilcox (Oshkosh, Wis./West) returned to the starting line up in the Huskies' game with Northern Iowa. After missing four games due to a hand injury, Wilcox returned to the floor against DePaul, scoring 10 points before making her first start in six games. She is averaging 11.4 points a game. Illinois State has three players in its starting line up averaging in double figures. Kristi Cirone scores 15.1 points a game and averages 7.3 assists. Tiffany Hudson adds 13.1 points a game, while Maggie Krick scores 12.6 points a game and 4.3 rebounds a contest.