Four players scored . . .
“It was another classic game between us and Central (Michigan). Both games (this season) were decided by one point,” said NIU head coach Mark Montgomery.
“It seemed like our 10-point lead vanished before you could blink your eyes, but this team showed some character and toughness to come back from four down, to make big plays, to push the game to overtime and then finish it on the defensive end by getting two stops in a row.”
NIU (16-11, 9-5 MAC) led by nine with 5:38 to play in regulation before Central Michigan used a 15-2 run to take a four-point lead, 67-63, with 2:40 remaining.
James knocked in a triple to cut the Central Michigan lead to one but an old-fashioned three-point play by the Chippewas gave CMU a 72-68 lead with 1:28 to go.
NIU came up empty on its next possession but German forced a turnover and finished a layup to trim the Central Michigan lead to two. After a Central Michigan shot clock violation, German again converted at the rim to tie the game with 20 seconds to play.
On the final possession of regulation, the Chippewas missed the initial shot and the ball was tapped around on the rim multiple times but none of them fell at the game went to overtime.
The Huskies scored first in the extra session and led by one, 78-77, after a pair of free throws from German was 1:44 remaining. Central Michigan (13-13, 6-7 MAC) scored on its next possession to go back in front by one and, with just over a minute left in the overtime, German attacked the basket and split a pair of free throws to tie the game at 79.
NIU got a stop on the next possession and German converted one more from the line with 33 ticks remaining, giving the Huskies an 80-79 lead.
Following a Central Michigan turnover, Hankerson stepped to the line and drained a pair, giving NIU an 82-79 lead with 11.4 seconds remaining.
On its final possession, Central Michigan missed a difficult three-point attempt to tie but did get a layup as time expired and NIU escaped with a one-point victory.
David DiLeo scored a game-high 25 points to lead Central Michigan. Devontae Lane added 14 points, Rob Montgomery scored 11 and Dallas Morgan chipped in 10 points for the Chippewas.
NIU shot 46.2 percent (6-of-13) from three-point range while holding Central Michigan to just 23.8 percent (5-of-21) shooting from behind the arc.