NATCHITOCHES – Rebounding has been a point of emphasis for the Northwestern State women's basketball team throughout its non-conference schedule.
 
When Southland Conference play opened Saturday, NSU proved it paid attention.
 
Northwestern State outrebounded visiting Houston Baptist by double digits and turned up the defensive intensity to open SLC play with a 55-44 victory against the Huskies at Prather Coliseum.
 
"Defensively and rebounding-wise, we dominated the paint, and that was great for us," said fourth-year co-head coach Brooke Stoehr, whose team outrebounded Houston Baptist, 41-30, and outscored HBU 24-10 in the paint.
 
"It's not something we've been able to do.  From a rebounding standpoint, I was really proud. It was a team effort. We didn't have anyone with double figure rebounds, but everyone who played, with the exception of one player who was in for a possession, had a rebound. We've really been stressing that with them. If we're going to be successful, we have to rebound the basketball."
 
Tia Youngblood had a team-leading eight rebounds for Northwestern State, which saw three other players – Emerald Mayfield, Cheyenne Brown and Janelle Perez – grab at least five rebounds.
 
In addition to outrebounding the Huskies, who entered the game outrebounding their opponents by 3.4 rebounds per game, Northwestern State (7-5, 1-0) limited HBU to 31.4 percent shooting.
 
After watching the Huskies (5-6, 0-1) hit their first three shots to take a 7-2 lead, Northwestern State ripped off a 12-0 run across 4:32 of the first quarter and never trailed again.
 
Junior guard Beatrice Attura posted a game-high 16 points, hitting all six of her free throws, to lead a trio of NSU double-figure scorers as NSU posted its third straight win against the Huskies.
 
The game was a rematch of March's Southland Conference Tournament championship game, which NSU won 58-50.
 
"Even though it was just one game in our schedule, it was a rematch from the championship game, so there's a lot of emotion put into it," Attura said. "Both teams prepared very, very well. We just did a very good job of protecting home court and doing what our coaches wanted us to do."
 
Northwestern State methodically pulled away, taking a 16-point lead after the third quarter when Perez knocked down a 3-pointer just before the third-quarter buzzer.
 
NSU needed that cushion as Houston Baptist scored the first eight points of the final period to halve the Northwestern State lead.
 
Freshman Cheyenne Brown snapped the Northwestern State drought with a jumper at the 4:34 mark of the fourth quarter.
 
Brown's jumper re-established NSU's double-figure lead at 48-38 and a Perez jumper pushed it to 12.
 
After a pair of Lisa Zderadicka free throws, Keisha Lee delivered the dagger, a straightaway 3-pointer with 2:37 to play.
 
Lee had 11 points in just her second game of the season. Lee missed the first 10 games of the season after tearing her meniscus in NSU's final preseason scrimmage.
 
"It forces teams to figure out how to guard you," Stoehr said of Lee's return. "They can no longer put two people on Janelle or take another defender and pressure Bea. When you have three players who can handle the basketball the way they can and get you into your offense, it makes it more difficult for other teams to take that away from you."
 
Perez added 10 points for Northwestern State, while Monet Neal led Houston Baptist with 14 points.
 
Northwestern State returns to action Monday night at 5:30 when they host Sam Houston State in the opener of a Southland Conference doubleheader. Monday's nightcap features the NSU men hosting the Sam Houston State men.