 NEBRASKA-OMAHA 77, NORTHERN ILLINOIS 72 The Huskies committed a season-low eight turnovers and out-rebounded the Mavericks, 40-34, but were unable to overcome 52.9 percent (27-of-51) shooting from the field by Nebraska Omaha.
“I think we did some positive things,” NIU head coach Mark Montgomery said. “Getting 70 shots up, only committing eight turnovers. We had 18 offensive rebounds. It is just unfortunate that they made some tough shots, they made their threes. What we have to do is get better in the first five minutes of the first half and the first five minutes of the second half. We can’t always play from behind.”
Nebraska Omaha raced out to an early 13-4 lead as the Mavericks drained a trio of triples in the opening four minutes of the contest. The Mavericks lead grew to 19-6 as the Huskies opened the game just 2-of-13 from the field.
A 9-2 NIU run trimmed the Nebraska Omaha lead to just six, 21-15, with 10:24 to play in the half. Toler converted an old-fashioned three-point play and a triple from the wing during the Huskie run.
The UNO lead went back to 10 before an 11-0 run by NIU put the Huskies on top, 28-27, with 5:11 to play before the break. Toler scored five of the 11, while redshirt sophomore guard Antone Christian, senior forward Tyler Storm, and junior guard Tony Nixon also added baskets during the burst.
The Huskies and Mavericks went back-and-forth in the final five minutes of the half as Nebraska Omaha took a one-point lead, 38-37, into the intermission.
Mitch Albers led all scorers with 17 in the opening 20 minutes; Toler led NIU with 16 points, including 3-of-3 from beyond the arc. NIU shot just 37.1 percent (13-of-35) from the field in the first half, but it committed just three turnovers and went 7-of-9 from the charity stripe.
Ford opened the second half with an old-fashioned three-point play to give NIU a 40-38 lead, but Nebraska Omaha responded with the next five, taking a 43-40 lead.
Tied at 43, the Mavericks used a 10-3 burst to lead 53-46 with 13:40 to play in the second half. A second 10-3 run put Nebraska Omaha ahead, 59-49, with just over 11 minutes left.
Trailing by a dozen, 66-54, sophomore Aksel Bolin cut the Nebraska Omaha lead in half with six-straight points with just under six minutes remaining. Bolin finished with eight points and seven rebounds.
After a basket by the Mavericks increased the lead back to eight, Ford scored five-straight to pull NIU within three, 68-65, with 3:31 to play. But that was as close as the Huskies would get as Nebraska Omaha made 9-of-12 free throws down the stretch to secure the victory.
Albers scored a game-high 26 points to lead Nebraska Omaha, John Karhoff added 21 points, while Alex Welhouse grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds.
Northern Illinois will play its lone road game in the month of December next Saturday, Dec. 10, when the Huskies travel to UIC. Game time against the Flames is scheduled for 3 p.m.
Courtesy of Northern Illinois Athletics |
