The Northern Illinois University men’s basketball team was within nine midway through the second half until a 17-2 run helped Ball State claim a 78-58 win over the Huskies on Saturday afternoon at Worthen Arena.
The Cardinals shot 53.8 percent (14-of-26) from the field in the second half to hold off the NIU rally and beat the Huskies for the second time this season.
Junior Zool Kueth scored a team-high 15 points for the Huskies, junior Trendon Hankerson added 12 points.
“Ball State had us sped up (in the first half), we had some open shots and we had some layups that we have to make,” said NIU interim head coach Lamar Chapman. “Ball State is a good defensive team, I thought we had some opportunities, but we have to get better in our half-court offense.”
Ball State (6-5, 4-2 MAC) made the quicker start but back-to-back baskets from juniors Adong Makuoi (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada/Daytona State College) and Chinedu Kingsley Okanu (Gary, Ind./Vincennes University) had the Huskies within a pair, 8-6, five minutes into the contest. The Cardinals answered with the next nine to take a 17-6 lead with 11:44 to play before the break.
NIU (2-10, 1-6 MAC) trimmed the Ball State advantage back to seven as junior Anthony Crump (Inkster, Mich./Middle Tennessee State) got in the lane and converted a floater and junior Justin Lee (Lawrenceville, Ga./Collins Hill) made a pair from the free-throw line, but Ball State responded with the next 10 to take a 27-10 lead.
A pair of free throws from Hankerson ignited a 7-2 burst for NIU as Hankerson then added a basket and Crump knocked in a triple as the Huskies trimmed the Ball State advantage to a dozen, 29-17.
Ball State took a 34-19 lead into the break. Miryne Thomas scored eight to pace the Cardinals in the opening 20 minutes, Crump scored five to lead the way for the NIU.
A triple by Kueth and a bucket off an offensive rebound from Makuoi brought NIU back within a dozen, 43-31, four minutes into the second stanza.
Another triple from Kueth trimmed the Ball State edge to 11 before the Cardinals answered with the next six as Ball State led 51-34 with 13 minutes left.
A layup from Kueth, off a feed from Okanu, and a trifecta from senior Nathan Scott helped NIU cut the Ball State lead to single-digits, 55-46, just past the midway point of the second half.
The Huskies were still within nine until a 17-2 run by the Cardinals put the game out of reach.
Thomas finished with a game-high 20 points to pace Ball State. Luke Bumbalough added 11 points while K.J. Walton and Blake Huggins each scored 10 points.
NIU will return home for the next two, beginning on Tuesday night when the Huskies welcome Ohio to the NIU Convocation Center. Tipoff against the Bobcats is scheduled for 6 p.m. and will be available on ESPN+.