Miami Edges NIU Late – NIU Athletics
DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men’s basketball team and Miami traded the lead 18 times and were tied on six occasions before a pair of free throws by Dae Dae Grant with nine seconds remaining swung the contest to the RedHawks for good as they claimed a 78-75 victory over the Huskies on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 19) at the NIU Convocation Center.
Five Huskies scored in double figures, led by Adong Makuoi’s (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada/Daytona State College) 14 points and game-high eight rebounds. Trendon Hankerson (Novi, Mich./Novi) and Keshawn Williams (Chicago Heights, Ill./Tulsa) each added 13 points while Darweshi Hunter (Cincinnati, Ohio/Weber State) and Chinedu Kingsley Okanu (Lynwood, Ill./Vincennes University) both scored 10 points.
“It is a disappointing loss,” said NIU head coach Rashon Burno. “The guys competed hard, but we didn’t execute down the stretch, things that we practice as far as execution. We had three turnovers in the last five minutes of the game, which is uncharacteristic of us. We didn’t defend the entire night, (Miami) shot 51 (percent) from the field, 44 from three. I think that cost us the game, but the kids competed, we have a short turnaround, and we have to focus on Eastern Michigan.”
The Huskies shot 50.9 percent (29-of-57) from the field in the contest, but the RedHawks shot 51.9 percent (28-of-54), including 44.4 percent (8-of-18) from three, and went 14-of-16 (87.5 percent) from the free-throw line.
NIU (5-10, 8-17 MAC) led by one at halftime and neither team would have a lead larger than four in the entire second half.
A 5-0 burst early in the second stanza gave the RedHawks a 46-42 advantage, but a jumper from Kaleb Thornton (Bolingbrook, Ill./Iowa Western CC) and a layup from Williams pulled NIU back even with 16:25 remaining.
Thornton finished with nine points and eight assists with zero turnovers.
Miami (12-14, 6-9 MAC) once again took a four-point lead, 58-54, just before the midway point of the second half, but baskets from Makuoi and Hankerson, followed by a dunk from Hunter, gave the lead right back to NIU, 60-58.
With just under three minutes left and the Huskies up by one, Makuoi made a pair of free throws to give NIU a 70-67 lead. On the following possession, Miami converted a layup and then forced a turnover that led to a three-pointer, giving the RedHawks a two-point advantage with 1:49 remaining.
Williams answered with a triple for NIU before another NIU miscue led to a layup for Miami’s Precious Ayah, giving the RedHawks a 74-73 lead with 43 seconds to play.
Following a NIU timeout, Makuoi converted on an offensive rebound to give the Huskies a one-point lead. On the next possession, Grant went to the basket and got fouled with nine seconds left, converting both free throws as the RedHawks went back on top, 76-75.
NIU raced down the floor and came up empty on a jumper before two more Miami free throws capped the three-point win for the visitors.
Grant finished with 19 points for Miami, Dalonte Brown added 17 points and eight rebounds while Ayah chipped in 12 points.
A 7-2 burst for Miami gave the RedHawks a 14-7 lead in the early going. NIU responded with the next six points as Williams made a fadeaway jumper and Hankerson converted at the rim twice to bring the Huskies back within one, 14-13, with 12:52 to play in the opening half.
After Miami went back in front by four, Hunter canned back-to-back trifectas to give the Huskies a 21-19 advantage just past the midway point of the first half.
Hunter added a layup to give NIU a four-point lead, but Miami answered with the next five as the RedHawks moved in front, 24-23.
Okanu made a pair of baskets to ignite a 7-0 Huskie burst. Williams added a corner jumper as NIU moved back ahead, 30-24, with just under five minutes to play in the half. The NIU advantage was still six until Miami used a 5-0 spurt to close the half to pull within one, 38-37, at the intermission.
NIU will be back in action on the road on Tuesday, Feb. 22, at Eastern Michigan before returning home to host Buffalo in a makeup contest on Thursday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. The Buffalo game is a rescheduled contest from Jan. 4, tickets for the original date will be honored at Thursday’s game.
