Quick Start Leads Miami Past NIU
OXFORD, Ohio – Miami scored the first 14 points to begin the contest as the RedHawks went on to an 87-58 victory over the Northern Illinois University men’s basketball team on Tuesday night (Feb. 25) at Millett Hall.
Nasir Muhammad (Brooklyn, N.Y./Xaverian) scored 17 points to lead NIU, James Dent Jr. (Springfield, Ill./Springfield Southeast) added 12 points and Quentin Jones (Chicago, Ill./Marian Catholic) chipped in 10.
“We are just a tired bunch,” said NIU head coach Rashon Burno. “The emotional loss to Eastern Michigan (Saturday). I don’t think we had the energy we need to compete on the road against a team that is prolific from three. They made 12 threes and shot 41 percent and we only made five and shot 17 percent, it is hard to beat anyone shooting 5-of-29 from three on the road.”
Miami (21-7, 12-3 MAC) jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the opening six minutes of the contest before Kailon Nicholls (Toronto, Ontario/Hargrave Military Academy) made a jumper in the lane to end the drought to open the game.
An old-fashioned three-point play from Dent cut the RedHawk lead to 21-9 with 11:53 to play in the half. Miami then scored nine of the next 13 as the hosts went in front 30-13.
Muhammad made a three-point play and Dent knocked in a corner triple as NIU (5-23, 1-14 MAC) cut the Miami lead to 30-19, but the RedHawks answered with the next 10 as Miami took a 40-19 lead with 2:47 left before halftime.
Miami took a 46-28 lead into the intermission. Brant Byers led all scorers with 12 points for the RedHawks, Dent paced the Huskies with 10 points. Miami shot 58.1 percent (18-of-31) from the field in the opening 20 minutes while holding NIU to just 34.5 percent (10-of-29) shooting.
The RedHawks opened the second half on a 14-5 run as they took a 60-33 lead with 13:55 to play, forcing a Huskie timeout.
Byers and Eian Elmer each scored 22 points to pace the RedHawks, Reece Potter added 11 points.
Miami outrebounded NIU, 44-24, in the contest and finished the game shooting 53.3 percent (32-of-60) form the field, while holding NIU to just 37.3 percent (22-of-59).
NIU will return home on Saturday, March 1, as the Huskies take on Western Michigan in the second game of a doubleheader at 3:30 p.m. Tickets are available now at NIUHuskies.com/tickets or by calling the NIU Athletics Ticket Office at (815) 753-PACK.
