DEKALB, Ill. – The Western Michigan University women's basketball team dropped its last MAC visit to Northern Illinois in a 61-56 loss.

The Broncos made their last trip to the Convocation Center on Wednesday night to take on the Northern Illinois Huskies before they leave the Mid-American Conference in June. After a week off the floor, sophomore forward D'Myjah Bolds returned in a big way with a career performance. Bolds led all members of the Brown and Gold roster with 17 points and six rebounds. Other Western Michigan players ending the evening in double figures included senior guard Alli Carlson and sophomore guard Kailey Starks.

The Broncos opened the game with an early three from sophomore guard Alli Harness. After the triple it was slow on offense as only one other field goal was made from either side in the first five minutes. WMU made two straight layups after the five minute mark for a five-point lead. Northern Illinois took its first lead of the night on a quick six-point run. The Brown and Gold tied the game back up but a late jumper made it a two point game in the Huskies favor.

The two offenses went back and forth in the second quarter, with neither team getting more than two possessions ahead. Western Michigan tied the game up twice on three pointers from Bolds and Carlson. The Broncos took back the lead briefly on a layup from Bolds with two and a half minutes left in the first half. But a three point play for NIU changed the game leader again. WMU tied up the game at the line right before the end of the quarter for a 26-26 deadlock.

It was another slow offensive start for both teams in the third quarter. The Brown and Gold made the first points of the half as Harness sunk two at the line to give Western Michigan another one-point lead. Matching shots had the lead traded again until the Huskies broke out on a six-point run. The Broncos responded with back-to-back layups, getting within a point. That would be the closest WMU got to Northern Illinois for the rest of the game as NIU pushed its lead to nine on an 11-3 stretch. The Brown and Gold did trail by only six heading into the fourth frame thanks to a Carlson triple with under 45 seconds to go.

Western Michigan got the first bucket to fall of the quarter as neither team scored for almost three minutes. But the momentum didn't last long for the Broncos with the Huskies taking a 10-point advantage less than a minute later. WMU was able to bring the deficit back down to four after a six-point run and two quick layups. But the Brown and Gold only added two points in the final minute and a half to NIU's six, leading to a 64-56 final.

Western Michigan returns home for a rivalry matchup this weekend. The Broncos will host the Central Michigan Chippewa in an afternoon double-header on Saturday, Jan.24. The women's team will play the first game of the afternoon, with tip-off against CMU set for 3:30 p.m. The men's game will follow at either 6:00 p.m. or 30 minutes after the conclusion of the women's game.