OXFORD, OH -- With just two MAC wins to their credit and two key starters unavailable, the Miami RedHawks entered Saturday's matchup against MAC West leader Northern Illinois as underdogs. Huskie leader Eugene German did get a game-high 21 points, but Miami got the 65-60 win at Millett Hall.
Miami (10-15, 3-9 MAC) was . . .
Lacey James, along with German, were the only Huskies in double figures and Northern Illinois (15-11, 8-5 MAC) never held the lead.
McNamara scored the game's first five points and the hosts built up a 10-point leader (their largest of the game) at 11:27 of the first period following a fast-break layup by Bowman.
Two German baskets helped NIU cut it to four points before Coleman-Lands hit back to back-to-back treys to re-establish the double-digit lead (25-15) and force a Huskie timeout.
The visitors worked their way back within two before going into the locker room with a four-point deficit (31-27).
Miami ran off five quick points to start the second half for the first of two second-half nine-point leads. NIU, however, eventually battled its way to within two points, 50-49) following Noah McCarty's triple at 7:10.
The RedHawks twice extended their advantage to seven points. The last came at 2:16 after a Grant basket. But when James hit a triple and German followed with a basket, the Huskies were again nipping at a the RedHawks tail.
A costly NIU turnover with 23 ticks left cost the Huskies a chance to tie and the simultaneous foul sent Miami to the line.
Free throws have been a problem area for MU in several games, but the RedHawks came through by sinking three of four to cement the decision.
NOTES
>> Miami made 14-of-20 free throws on the afternoon. NIU was good on 13-of-19 charity tosses.
>> The RedHawks hit 46.0 percent of their shots from the field and 25 percent on threes. Northern connectedon 39.6 percent overall and 31.3 percent beyond the arc.
>> NIU owned a 37-30 advantage on rebounds.