Preview: Northern Illinois at Kent State KENT, Ohio (Interstat) — The Kent State women’s basketball team looks to solidify its position in the Mid-American Conference standings when it hosts struggling Northern Illinois on Wednesday night at the Memorial Athletics Center. The Golden Flashes (11-13 overall) enter the matchup seeking consistency after alternating wins and losses over their past six games. They are coming off a 71-61 road loss to Ohio on Saturday. Forward Emory Klatt has been a key contributor on the boards, grabbing 10 rebounds in that defeat. Her presence inside will be crucial against a Northern Illinois team that has struggled to find wins. The visiting Huskies (5-20) are mired in a difficult season and aim to snap a two-game skid. They are coming off a hard-fought 75-68 overtime loss to Akron on Saturday. In that game, guard Nevaeh Wingate played all but one minute, scoring 22 points and pulling down eight rebounds. Wingate has been a bright spot for Northern Illinois, averaging 17.4 points over her last three contests, including a 21-point performance in a win over Texas State on Feb. 7. Despite their record, the Huskies have shown recent fight, with three of their last five losses decided by seven points or fewer. Containing Wingate will be a primary focus for a Kent State defense that allowed 101 points in a loss to Ball State earlier this month. Kent State won the first meeting this season, 91-79, on Jan. 17 in DeKalb. The Golden Flashes have won four of the last five matchups between the programs. Wednesday’s game tips off at 7 p.m. EST. Kent State travels to face Akron on Saturday, while Northern Illinois visits Western Michigan.