The Northern Illinois women's basketball team erased a seven-point deficit in the final 36 seconds and had the ball with a chance to win, only to lose on a last second steal and lay-up Wednesday at Ohio, 77-75.
The Bobcats (11-8 overall, 5-3 Mid-American Conference) led 75-68 with 36 seconds left after a pair of made free throws. After an NIU timeout, Gabby Nikitinaite drained a 3-pointer. Ten seconds later Ohio missed a pair of free throws, Kelly Smith got the rebound, and after a timeout connected on a layup to make it 75-73 with 20 seconds left.
NIU (10-9, 2-6) needed just one second to foul, and again Ohio missed both free throws, and again Smith got the rebound and NIU called another timeout, this one with 19 seconds left. Two seconds later, Courtney Woods hit a tying layup, then Nikitinaite got a steal and NIU called a timeout with 12 seconds left.
But Cierra Hooks got a steal and connected on the layup with two seconds left for the win. Smith had a 3-pointer at the buzzer miss the mark
Smith finished with 18, Woods 17 and Nikitinaite 11 for the Huskies. Woods had 10 rebounds and Smith 12.
NIU committed 21 turnovers in the loss, leading to 15 Ohio points. Ohio committed 16 turnovers which led to 14 points for the Huskies.
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