DEKALB, Ill. (Interstat) — The Miami (Ohio) Redhawks delivered a defensive masterclass, holding the Northern Illinois Huskies to a season-low in points and cruising to a 71-43 victory in a Mid-American Conference women’s basketball game Wednesday afternoon at the Convocation Center.

From the opening tip, Miami established a tone of defensive dominance that Northern Illinois never managed to counter. The Redhawks held the Huskies to just eight points in the first quarter and 22 by halftime, building a lead that would never be threatened. The 43 points allowed marked Miami’s best defensive performance of the conference season and the fewest points Northern Illinois has scored all year.

The most important stretch of the game came early, as Miami’s defense completely stifled the Huskies’ offense. Northern Illinois missed its first six field goal attempts and committed four turnovers before finally scoring on an Emilie Sorensen 3-pointer nearly three minutes into the game. By the time the Huskies found any rhythm, the Redhawks had already built a double-digit lead they would only expand.

Amber Tretter, a 6-foot-1 forward from Ferdinand, Indiana, led the Redhawks with 17 points, six rebounds and three blocked shots in just 28 minutes, setting the defensive anchor. Her presence in the paint altered countless Northern Illinois attempts and helped limit the Huskies to a frigid shooting percentage.

Miami’s international backcourt duo provided consistent offensive support. Nuria Jurjo of Barcelona, Spain, scored 12 points with four rebounds, while fellow Spaniard Clara Gonzalez Planella added nine points. Point guard Tamar Singer of Haifa, Israel, orchestrated the offense with eight assists and added eight points and four rebounds.

The Redhawks’ depth was on full display, with 10 players scoring. Ilse de Vries of Groningen, Netherlands, contributed seven points and five rebounds, while Amber Scalia and Macie Taylor each added seven and four points, respectively.

For Northern Illinois, which struggled against Miami’s length and pressure all evening, Nadechka Laccen of San Juan, Puerto Rico, was the lone player to reach double figures, finishing with 11 points. Emilie Sorensen added seven points. The Huskies turned the ball over 22 times, which Miami converted into 23 points, and were outrebounded 42-30.

Miami improved to 17-4 overall and 8-1 in the MAC, maintaining its position atop the conference standings. The Redhawks have now won seven consecutive games, with their defense allowing an average of just 53.1 points during that streak. Northern Illinois fell to 4-16 overall and 2-7 in conference play.

The announced attendance was 1,622. Miami’s next game is at home against Ohio on Saturday. Northern Illinois will host Central Michigan on Saturday.