Feb. 28, 2006
Toledo, OH --- Road victories are always welcome, but Saturday night's (Dec. 3) 73-69 triumph by the Northern Illinois University men's basketball team over the University of Toledo was even sweeter for a number of reasons.
First and foremost, it snapped a 12-game long losing streak for Mid-American Conference road games. The Huskies were 0-9 during last year's regular-season in the league and then dropped a MAC Postseason Tournament game at the University at Buffalo. Those 10 losses were on top of a regular-season loss and another MAC Tourney first-round road defeat from the 2003-04 campaign.
In addition, the three-point victory is only the fourth for NIU in 26 trips to Toledo, plus it enables Northern Illinois to cut into the Rockets' all-time series lead at 33-16. Beating UT also gives the Huskies a three-game win streak for a 3-1 overall record and 1-0 start for Mid-American Conference play while the Rockets now dip to 3-2 and 0-1. NIU doesn't resume MAC play until a Jan. 3 home date with Miami (Ohio) University. Northern Illinois also has a brief break before returning to action on Dec. 13 with a 7:05 p.m. Convocation Center home date against Wright State University.
Saturday's victory was, however, a tale of two halves as coach Rob Judson's crew had to withstand a furious Toledo comeback bid for the four-point triumph. NIU boasted a 22-point halftime advantage, 43-21, and began the second half with its largest lead of 24 only to have the Rockets rally to within three points on three occasions in the final 2:35.
"I thought we really showed a lot of poise to withstand that second half run by Toledo," Judson said. "We made enough free throws to win it down the stretch. It's really a great win, especially against an excellent team like Toledo that has a terrific homecourt and impressive homecourt record."
Toledo, which owned a MAC-best 24-2 (.933) homecourt record for the last two years coming into the game, was playing before a season-high crowd of 4,386. Northern Illinois, which was also 1-17 in the league on the road over the past two seasons, was playing without preseason All-MAC West Division guard Michael McKinney (Evanston), who was sidelined by a groin injury.
The Huskies broke away from a 7-7 tie with a 19-0 surge thanks largely to six points from Cory Sims (Livingston, AL) and five more from Zach Pancratz (Schaumburg). Northern Illinois finished the first half with a blazing 69.2 percent touch (18-of-26) from the floor, including 55.6 percent (5-of-9) from beyond the arch. UT was a chilly .292 (7-of-24) from the floor and 25 percent (3-of-12) for three-pointers.
"We got off to a wonderful start with a high energy level. We made some crisp passes and got hot from the outside," Judson noted. "I also thought Cory did an excellent job penetrating. I certainly appreciate the effort from Cory and Zach, but this team is capabale of having different people step up on different nights.
"We got a little tentative in the second half and that's understandable for a first MAC road game. In addition, Toledo's a good ballclub. They've got quickness and can really shoot as they showed in the second half. For us to withstand that comeback and their intense pressure was great."
Indeed the Rockets roared back hitting 58.3 percent (14-of-24) in the second half including an amazing 50 percent (8-of-16) for three-pointers. Justin Ingram, who was held scoreless, came back to finish with a game-high 21 points while UT veteran Sammy Villegas added 14.
Sims and Pancratz both recorded career-highs of 20 and 18, respectively, while James Hughes (Silvis / East Moline United Township) had 12 and Todd Peterson (Pekin) just missed double figures with nine and a team-high seven boards.
NIU finished hitting 55.3 percent (26-of-47) from the floor for its third consecutive game of shooting 50% or higher. The Huskies also hit 73.7 (14-of-19) from the free throw line, including 12-of-17 in the second half. Toledo made it a 68-65 contest before Sims fed Hughes for a dunk and after the Rockets answered that, Peterson got a tip-in for a 72-67 advntage. Following a UT rebound putback, Pancratz hit the first of two free throws to account for the final score.
(For further information, please contact Steve Nemeth) - NIU -
