BOX SCORE
QUOTES
NOTES
DeKALB, Ill. -- David Kool led all scorers with 26 points and moved into fourth all-time at Western Michigan with 1,711 points, but Northern Illinois hit 12 three-pointers to hold on at home, 87-77, at the Convocation Center.
Martelle McLemore added 16 points and six rebounds and Donald Lawson had 12 points and seven rebounds for the Broncos (9-6, 1-1 MAC) against the Huskies (6-8, 2-0 MAC).
Northern Illinois made 12-of-20 three-pointers (.600) after hitting only 27.8 percent entering the game. The Broncos shot 45.1 percent (23-51) from the field and hit 6-of-14 three-pointers. The Broncos were able to stay close with NIU's triples by making 25-of-32 free throws (.781).
Northern Illinois went on a 12-4 run over 3:40 to take its largest lead of the game, 76-68, with 5:08 to play. The Broncos cut the lead to six, 77-71, after a pair of Kool free throws, but then a technical foul was called on Nate Hutcheson and NIU hit both free throws to go back up eight, 79-71, and hung on for the victory.
The Huskies opened the game by scoring the first five points, but
then the Broncos responded with a 13-0 run over just 3:19 to take an
eight-point lead, 13-5, on Flenard Whitfield's post move with 15:08 to
play in the half. The Huskies came back with four in a row until
Whitfield salvaged a near turnover with a finger roll to keep WMU up
six, 15-9, with 12:32 to go in the half. NIU came back with the first
three-pointer attempted or made in the three-year career of 6-11 center
Sean Kowal.
The Broncos didn't sweat and went on an 11-0 run to
build a 14-point lead, 26-12, after Donald Lawson kicked out to
Martelle McLemore for a wide-open three-pointer with 10:01 remaining in
the half. McLemore hit another three-pointer with a hand in his face
with 8:54 to go in the half to keep the lead at 14, 31-17, but NIU
responded with six straight to cut the lead to eight, 31-23, with 7:57
left in the half.
NIU's uncharacteristically hot-shooting continued as they went on a 19-5 run to tie the game, 36-36, with 2:25 to go in the half. McLemore scored on a fast break and was fouled to put WMU up three and then Whitfield hit a reverse lay-up to keep WMU up three, 41-38, until Mike DiNunno hit his fifth three-pointer of the half to tie the score, 41-41, at intermission.
The Broncos shot 53.6 percent (15-28) in the first half and connected on 5-of-9 three-pointers, while NIU shot 42.9 percent (15-35) and made 7-of-13 three-pointers after hitting only 27.8 percent of its three-pointers entering the contest. McLemore scored 13 and Kool added 11 in the first half for the Broncos, while DiNunno had 15 points and six assists for the Huskies.
The Broncos opened the second half on a 10-5 run in the first 3:35 to go up by five, 51-46, with 16:25 to go after a pair of free throws by Nate Hutcheson. NIU came back with DiNunno's sixth three-pointer and Xavier Silas' first make in 10 attempts, a three-pointer, to regain the lead, 52-51, with 15:52 to go.
The Broncos came back with a baseline jumper by Kool on an inbounds play and then two free throws by Lawson to go up three, 55-52, but NIU came back with five in a row to go up by a deuce, 57-55, after Darion Anderson's second three-pointer of the game and ninth of the season with a dozen minutes to play.
The Broncos got a couple of free throws from Kool to tie, but then NIU scored another five in a row. WMU came back and got a lay-up from Mike Douglas and Nate Hutcheson hit all three freebies after being fouled behind the arc to tie the score for the sixth time, 64-64, with 8:56 to play.
WMU returns to University Arena on Saturday at 2 p.m. to take on MAC West co-leader Central Michigan (7-7, 2-0 MAC).
The Fast Break Club will host a 5:01 Party at University Roadhouse on Friday. Appetizers are free and head coach Steve Hawkins will be available to talk about the team and answer questions.
