DEKALB, Ill. – Senior Chuks Iroegbu scored a career-high 16 points, including seven in the final five minutes, and grabbed eight offensive rebounds as the Northern Illinois Huskies improved to 2-0 with a 72-65 victory over South Dakota on Saturday afternoon at the NIU Convocation Center.
Sophomore Maric Marin and freshman Marshawn Wilson each added 12 points while senior Travon Baker chipped in 11 points and seven assists, with no turnovers.
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Sophomore Maric Marin and freshman Marshawn Wilson each added 12 points while senior Travon Baker chipped in 11 points and seven assists, with no turnovers.
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“This was a typical MAC grinder,” said NIU head coach Mark Montgomery. “It was a game of runs, but it was hard-nosed, tough basketball. I’m happy for my group because they showed no quit. They were resilient and were able to reach a little deeper to make plays, and then we were able to get some stops. When we are able to get stops and get out and run, we are a pretty good team.”
NIU outrebounded South Dakota 44-26 in the contest, including a 17-6 edge in offensive boards that the Huskies were able to convert into a 17-7 advantage in second chance points.
Leading by six at the half, South Dakota (0-2) scored the first two points of the second half to take an eight-point lead, 36-28, but the Huskies answered with 10 of the next 12 to pull even, 38-38.
Junior Aaric Armstead started the burst with a basket, Baker added a triple before a bucket from Iroegbu and a trifecta from Wilson tied the contest with 16:26 to play.
South Dakota answered right back with the next 10 as the Coyotes took a 48-38 lead with 13:30 left, but NIU responded with a 10-0 run of its own as the game was tied again with 10:46 left.
Freshman Laytwan Porter opened the run with a triple. Maric made a pair of field goals before Porter canned another three to pull the Huskies even. Porter finished with nine points in the contest.
The Coyotes answered again, pushing their lead to seven, 57-50, with just over eight minutes to play, but a pair of triples from Baker, sandwiched around a pair of free throws by South Dakota, cut the lead to just three, 59-56.
NIU went in front for the first time in the second half on a short jumper by Maric with six minutes left, giving the Huskies a 60-59 advantage.
A triple from Tre Burnette evened the contest, 62-62, with just under five minutes remaining before the Huskies closed the game with a 10-3 burst to close out the victory.
Iroegbu scored the first seven of the stretch for the Huskies, connecting on a trio of free throws and a pair of layups, including an athletic tip-in that gave the Huskies a five-point lead with 2:20 to play as the Huskies never looked back.
NIU shot 56.7 percent (17-of-30) in the second half, including 60 percent (6-of-10) from three.
Burnette led all scorers with 19 points for South Dakota; Casey Kasperbauer added 16 and Shy McClelland added 10.
The Huskies will finish the weekend as they host Wright State on Sunday, Nov. 15; at 3:30 p.m.
(Courtesy of NIU Athletics)
NIU outrebounded South Dakota 44-26 in the contest, including a 17-6 edge in offensive boards that the Huskies were able to convert into a 17-7 advantage in second chance points.
Leading by six at the half, South Dakota (0-2) scored the first two points of the second half to take an eight-point lead, 36-28, but the Huskies answered with 10 of the next 12 to pull even, 38-38.
Junior Aaric Armstead started the burst with a basket, Baker added a triple before a bucket from Iroegbu and a trifecta from Wilson tied the contest with 16:26 to play.
South Dakota answered right back with the next 10 as the Coyotes took a 48-38 lead with 13:30 left, but NIU responded with a 10-0 run of its own as the game was tied again with 10:46 left.
Freshman Laytwan Porter opened the run with a triple. Maric made a pair of field goals before Porter canned another three to pull the Huskies even. Porter finished with nine points in the contest.
The Coyotes answered again, pushing their lead to seven, 57-50, with just over eight minutes to play, but a pair of triples from Baker, sandwiched around a pair of free throws by South Dakota, cut the lead to just three, 59-56.
NIU went in front for the first time in the second half on a short jumper by Maric with six minutes left, giving the Huskies a 60-59 advantage.
A triple from Tre Burnette evened the contest, 62-62, with just under five minutes remaining before the Huskies closed the game with a 10-3 burst to close out the victory.
Iroegbu scored the first seven of the stretch for the Huskies, connecting on a trio of free throws and a pair of layups, including an athletic tip-in that gave the Huskies a five-point lead with 2:20 to play as the Huskies never looked back.
NIU shot 56.7 percent (17-of-30) in the second half, including 60 percent (6-of-10) from three.
Burnette led all scorers with 19 points for South Dakota; Casey Kasperbauer added 16 and Shy McClelland added 10.
The Huskies will finish the weekend as they host Wright State on Sunday, Nov. 15; at 3:30 p.m.
(Courtesy of NIU Athletics)
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