Sophomore Eugene German scored a game-high 16 points, junior Anastasios Demogerontas had 15, junior Levi Bradley and sophomore Justin Thomas each chipped in 11 and freshman Rod Henry-Hayes added 10 points, along with a game-high five assists and no turnovers.
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In addition to the five double-figure scorers, NIU also had five more players score at least six points, including Dante Thorpe who scored eight points with five rebounds, four assists, three blocks and three steals. Freshman Owen Hamilton had eight points and a game-high eight rebounds.
NIU (4-2) shot 55.7 percent (39-of-70) from the field in the contest and 71.4 percent (20-of-28) from the free-throw line, while holding Rockford to just 32.9 percent (23-of-70) shooting. NIU outrebounded Rockford, 51-33 and had 16 offensive rebounds that were converted into 23 second chance points. NIU also forced 20 turnovers, which it turned into 22 points.
The Huskies held Rockford scoreless for more than six minutes to open the contest while building a 17-point advantage. Thomas, Bradley and German each had five points in the opening six minutes to help the Huskies out to the early lead.
NIU led by 27 at the half as the Huskies took a 48-21 advantage into the intermission. German scored 14 of his 16 points in the opening 20 minutes of the contest and the Huskies shot 41.7 percent (5-of-12) from behind the three-point line in the opening stanza.
The bench fueled NIU’s offense in the second half, scoring 39 of NIU’s 57 points after the break. Demogerontas scored 10 of his 15 points after the interval while Henry-Hayes and Hamilton each scored eight points in the second half.
Rockford was led by 13 points and seven rebounds from Taylor Krocker.
NIU will be at home again on Wednesday night, Nov. 29, as it hosts Milwaukee at 8:30 p.m., It is the second half of a doubleheader. The NIU women's basketball team will tip-off the doubleheader at 6 p.m.
(Courtesy of NIU Athletics)