Northern Illinois 75, Loyola 65
CHICAGO - Junior Ebony Ellis scored a career-high 23 points and had a key block in overtime to help lift Northern Illinois to a 75-65 win over Loyola, Thursday night at the Gentile Center.

The Huskies (4-6) got off to one of their best starts of the year, jumping out to a 10-2 lead. The Ramblers (4-4) pushed back to get within four when NIU senior Kylie York (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) hit a three-pointer to break the first half open, and break the Huskie record for three-pointers made in a career. York finished the night with 16 points on the strength of four made treys. She entered the game tied for first place in the NIU history books with Denise Dove (1987-91) at 221 made threes, and now holds sole possession of the record.

Loyola got within two points of NIU in the first half at 21-19 before the Huskies rattled off eight straight to extend the lead back to double digits. York capped the half with a three pointer to give Northern Illinois a 16-point lead heading into the locker room.

The Ramblers fought back almost exclusively due to the shooting of senior Maggie McCloskey. Loyola's all-time leading three-point shooter hit 6-of-11 treys in the second half and added a long two to score 20 points in the second half alone. The final three of the barrage put Loyola in position to tie the game as the regulation buzzer sounded. Loyola guard Keisha Collins sent the game to an extra session with a last-second lay-up that tied the game for the first time.

Northern Illinois answered by opening overtime with a 9-0 run that included a three-point play from Mauvolyene Adams (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook), and saw four different Huskies score. Up 70-61, Northern Illinois hit 5-of-8 free throws down the stretch to seal the win.
In addition to her game-high scoring total, Ellis (Joliet, Ill./Joliet Township) added season highs of 18 rebounds and three blocks, including a key swat in overtime that led the Huskies taking a nine-point lead with 1:15 left. In overtime alone, Ellis had three points, three boards, an assist, and a block.

Adams also tallied a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Marke Freeman (Springfield, Ill./Lanphier) scored all 11 of her points in the second half to become the fourth Huskie in double-figures. The junior added a season-high six assists, six rebounds and one steal.

Northern Illinois had their best shooting half of the season, hitting 58.6 percent from the field in the first. The Huskies outrebounded the Ramblers 45-29, and dominated the scoring in the paint 30-14. NIU added 18 second chance points of 14 offensive boards to help break a five-game losing streak.

McCloskey shared scoring honors with Ellis at 23 points. Collins was the only other Rambler in double-figures, scoring 14 primarily on the strength of 7-of-8 shooting from the free throw line.

The Huskies break for the holidays before returning to action Dec. 29 when they host UIC at the Convocation Center. Tickets are available by calling (815) 752-6800 (815) 752-6800 or logging on to www.niuhuskies.com and clicking "Tickets."

UNC-Wilmington 58, Ohio 51
ATHENS, Ohio - Thia Gholson recorded the first double-double of her career with career highs of 12 points and 14 rebounds to lead three Ohio players in double figures, but it was UNC Wilmington that snuck away with a 58-51 win Thursday night in the Convo.

As has been their trademark to this point in the season, the `Cats' (3-7) defense held the Seahawks to just 35 percent shooting and gave up just 58 points, the eighth time in 10 games Ohio has held the opposition under 60 points. It was at the free throw line where the Green and White were bitten as it hit just 3-of-12 from the charity stripe. The Bobcats also faced unkind rims on the night as they managed just 31 percent shooting from the field.

Ohio won the battle on the boards, pulling down 47 caroms, its second-highest total of the season, and got 27 points off the bench while outscoring UNCW's reserves 27-9.

Gholson's (Louisville, Ky.) 12 points (6-of-12 shooting) tied for team-high honors, as the junior also blocked a career-high two shots. Jenny Poff (St. John's, Mich.) notched 12 points in addition to five rebounds a a game-high three steals to equal Gholson for team-high scoring honors. Carolyn Barnett (North Chicago, Ill.) recorded 11 off the bench, marking her second-straight game in double figures, while Danielle Woodmore (Louisville, Ky.) also turned in a nice outing in reserve, tying career bests with four rebounds and four assists. Da'Keisha Mann (Columbus, Ohio) and Ashley Fowler (Cincinnati, Ohio) each picked up six rebounds, a career high for Fowler.

The action was tight in the early going as neither side would give an inch. A Poff triple with 12:26 left in the first half tied the score at 11. Ohio led 17-15 before the Seahawks ripped off a quick 5-0 run to go ahead 20-17. Poff hit another try to tie the score at 20, before UNC converted with just over a minute left in the first half to go ahead. The Seahawks led 22-21 at the break.

Poff was hot from behind the arc in the first half, knocking down 3-of-3 from distance, but the `Cats managed to shoot just 26.7 percent from the field.

Ohio came out of the lockerroom firing and opened the second half on a 7-2 run to lead 28-24 with 17:30 left. UNCW battled back to tie it, and the action was back and forth for the next four minutes of play. The Seahawks took advantage of an 8-0 run to take a 40-32 lead with 8:59 remaining. Woodmore and Gholson sparked a big 9-0 Ohio run to put the `Cats back up by one with 6:51 left.

UNCW took advantage of Ohio's ill fortunes from the line to put together another run of its own to take pull ahead 53-44 with 2:07 left. The `Cats kept battling back, but the Seahawks knocked down their free throws over the final two minutes to sneak out of Athens with the win.

Brittany Blackwell and Greta Luksyte each scored 15 points to lead the Seahawks, with Blackwell also pulling down 10 rebounds for her fifth double-double of the season.

Ohio will have a quick turnaround as it returns to the court Saturday afternoon when it takes on Clemson of the ACC. The `Cats will be looking for some retribution after the Tigers came from behind to sneak out a close win over Ohio in Littlejohn Coliseum last season. Tip-off is set for noon.