BUFFALO, N.Y. (Interstat) — In a Mid-American Conference clash between two teams desperate to halt lengthy slides, the Northern Illinois Huskies leaned on a career performance from Emilie Sorensen to secure a hard-fought 64-58 victory over the Buffalo Bulls on Wednesday night at Alumni Arena.

The win, played before an announced crowd of 1,380, snapped a five-game losing streak for Northern Illinois and improved its season record to 3-11 overall. For Buffalo, the loss was its eighth in a row, dropping the Bulls to 2-12. The result defied a pregame statistical projection that heavily favored the home team.

The most important part of the game was Northern Illinois’s early defensive intensity and offensive execution, which built a lead that Buffalo spent the entire contest trying to overcome. The Huskies established control from the opening tip, opening the game on a 13-2 run. Marta Hermoso of Seville, Spain, set the tone by winning the opening jump ball and immediately drilling a 3-pointer just 22 seconds into the contest. Northern Illinois held Buffalo to just eight points in the first quarter, forcing nine Bulls turnovers and building an 11-point lead that provided a crucial cushion.

Sorensen, a guard from Waukee, Iowa, was the engine for the Huskies, playing 38 minutes and scoring a game-high 20 points. Her timely shooting, including three 3-pointers, repeatedly stymied Buffalo’s comeback attempts. When the Bulls cut the deficit to single digits in the second half, Sorensen answered with key baskets to stabilize her team.

Buffalo, which trailed 29-20 at halftime, found its offensive rhythm after the break, matching Northern Illinois with 17 points in the third quarter and winning the fourth quarter 21-18. The Bulls were led by the backcourt duo of Aniya Rowe and Deana Thompson. Rowe, a Geneva, New York, native, scored 16 points and dished out four assists, while Thompson from Los Angeles added 14 points, including several driving layups in the second half.

Every Buffalo push, however, was met with a Northern Illinois response. Nevaeh Wingate of Liverpool, New York, provided crucial secondary scoring with 15 points, and the Huskies’ ball movement, facilitated by Maria Serracanta’s six assists, consistently found cracks in the Buffalo defense. Nadechka Laccen of San Juan, Puerto Rico, added 12 points for the visitors.

The Bulls closed to within four points on multiple occasions in the final period. A 3-pointer by Rowe made it 54-51 with just over a minute remaining, but Northern Illinois closed the game at the free-throw line. Sorensen hit two clutch foul shots with 52 seconds left, and after a Buffalo turnover, the Huskies managed the clock and added necessary points from the stripe to seal the six-point win.

Northern Illinois showcased a balanced effort, with Teresa Mbemba contributing seven points off the bench and the Huskies’ defense forcing 22 Buffalo turnovers. The Bulls were led inside by Amber Howard of Philadelphia, who grabbed eight rebounds to go with eight points, and Ella Corry of Clarence Center, New York, who also scored eight.

The victory provides a measure of momentum for Northern Illinois as it prepares to host Bowling Green on Saturday. Buffalo will look to end its extended skid when it hosts Ohio on the same day.