DEKALB, Ill. (Interstat) — A surging Massachusetts team looks to rebound from a rare setback when it visits struggling Northern Illinois in a Mid-American Conference women’s basketball matchup Tuesday night. The Massachusetts Minutemen (16-5) travel to the Convocation Center following a 71-57 home loss to James Madison on Sunday, which snapped a four-game winning streak. Prior to that, they had won nine of their last 10 contests. The Northern Illinois Huskies (5-18) are coming off one of their best performances of the season, a 71-69 victory over Texas State on Saturday, but have lost eight of their last 10. The game features a stark contrast in season trajectories. Massachusetts, led by dynamic guard Yahmani McKayle, has been one of the MAC’s top teams. McKayle is averaging 17.1 points and 5.9 assists over her last seven games, including a 25-point, 6-assist effort in a win at Ohio on Jan. 28. Her playmaking will be central to the Minutemen’s attack as they seek to regain momentum. Northern Illinois will counter with guard Nevaeh Wingate, who scored a season-high 21 points and grabbed six rebounds in the win over Texas State. Consistency has been an issue for the Huskies, who have been held under 50 points four times in conference play. They will need another high-level performance from Wingate and forward Emilie Sorensen, who also had 21 points in the last outing, to challenge the Minutemen. In the earlier meeting this season, Massachusetts dominated Northern Illinois 73-40 on Dec. 31 in Amherst. The Huskies will aim for a much more competitive showing at home, where they are 4-7 this season. Massachusetts is 7-3 on the road. The Minutemen’s defense, which allows an average of 65.2 points per game, will test a Northern Illinois offense averaging just 58.7. For the Huskies to pull an upset, they must find scoring beyond their recent leaders and contain McKayle’s penetration and distribution. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST Tuesday at the Convocation Center.