DeKALB, Ill. – Sophomore Tamya Sims (Milwaukee, Wis./Oak Creek) matched a season-best with 14 points, but Ally Lehman of Northern Illinois had 13 points and six boards in the fourth quarter to help the Huskies rally for a 68-64 victory over Bradley Monday at the Convocation Center.

The Braves (4-6 overall) scored 38 points in the paint and led Northern Illinois (6-4 overall) 45-38 nearing the four-minute mark of the third quarter after a long jumper by junior Whitney Tinjum (Stacy, Minn./Chisago Lakes/Washington State).  Lehman had four points and one assist during a 10-0 NIU run and the teams went to the fourth quarter tied at 48-48.

Freshman Gabby Green (Milwaukee, Wis./Pius XI) banked in a three-pointer from the top of the key to open the fourth quarter and a Leti Lerma (Muscatine, Iowa/Muscatine) jumper from just inside the free throw line gave the Braves a 53-48 advantage less than three minutes into the final period.

Bradley missed its next six shots, however, and Lehman took over for NIU.  She opened a 9-0 Huskie run with a rebound and put-back hoop.  Lehman tied the game for seventh time with a three-pointer nearing the midway point of the fourth and followed up her second block of the night on the next Bradley possession with a layup to put Northern Illinois ahead 55-53 with 4:31 to play. 

Sims had a layup with just under two minutes left to cut the NIU lead to 62-59 and sophomore Anneke Schlueter (Ulm, Germany/Max-Weber-Schule) hit a three-pointer from the wing to pull the Braves even at 62-62 nearing the one-minute mark.  The Schlueter three extended her streak of consecutive games with a three-pointer to 10. 

Lehman broke the tie with a pair of free throws on the next NIU trip down the floor and Northern Illinois led 66-62 with 11 seconds on the clock after two more Huskie free throws. 

With six seconds remaining, Tinjum had a chance for a three-point play after she hit a jumper in the lane and was fouled.  Tinjum's hoop made it a two-point contest (66-64) and the Braves nearly came down with an offensive board after her free throw attempt rimmed out. 

Lehman came down with the rebound, however, and NIU kept possession on a jump ball following a tie up.  A pair of Lehman free throws with three seconds sealed the win as Bradley fell 68-64. 

Sims had 14 points, six rebounds and two blocks to lead the Braves, while Lerma added 10 points, seven boards, two blocks and one steal.  Bradley shot 43 percent from the field, but was outrebounded 47-33 and the Huskies had a 26-11 rebounding advantage in the second half.

Lehman led Northern Illinois with a career-high 27 points and also had 14 rebounds, six assists and a pair of steals as she notched her sixth double-double of the season.  Courtney Woods made 4-of-6 three-point attempts and had 13 points off the bench to help lead the Huskies.   

Bradley closes out the non-conference schedule Dec. 30 with a 7 p.m. game at Saint Louis.