MILWAUKEE, Wis. – The Northern Illinois University men's basketball team stood toe-to-toe with Marquette for 30 minutes before the Golden Eagles separated themselves down the stretch to claim a 79-70 victory over the Huskies on Monday night at the BMO Harris Bradley Center. 

Sophomore Eugene German (Gary, Ind./21st Century Charter) scored a game-high 26 points while junior Dante Thorpe (Washington, D.C./Triton College) added 14 points but the Huskies were unable to overcome a season-high 18 turnovers that turned into 24 Marquette points. 

"We got the lead in the second half, we were up by four, and we got a little excited," said NIU head coach Mark Montgomery. "With about 12 minutes to go they stepped up their pressure, they made it hard for us to get the ball to the wing. We had a little (offensive) lull and it is hard to win a big road game like this when you have a lull where you don't score. We did some good things, we just didn't have enough ammunition to get over the top."

Marquette (8-3) jumped out to an early 14-4 lead in the opening five minutes of the contest, but NIU responded with the next six to trim the Golden Eagle lead to just four. German opened the burst with a layup, Thorpe added a bucket and German made a pair from the line. 

After the Marquette advantage grew back to seven, 19-12, another basket from Thorpe and a layup off the glass from sophomore Justin Thomas (Indianapolis, Ind./Pike) brought NIU back within three, 19-16, with just under 11 minutes to play in the opening half. 

NIU pulled even, 25-25, on a triple from junior Levi Bradley (Milwaukee, Wis./Pius XI) before a baseline floater from Thorpe gave the Huskies a 27-25 lead with 6:36 left before the intermission. 

Bradley finished with eight points, the first time all season he was held to single-digits. 

As the Huskies and Golden Eagles traded leads, a free throw by freshman Gairges Daow (Melbourne, Australia/Victory Rock Academy) brought NIU even at 36 with 2:28 to play in the half, but Marquette scored the final six points of the opening 20 minutes to take a 42-36 lead into the break. 

NIU (6-5) immediately erased its six-point halftime deficit as German, Thorpe and junior Lacey James (Grand Rapids, Mich./Rider) each made buckets to open the second half and bring the Huskies even. 

James finished with eight points and a game-high nine rebounds. 

A free throw by Marquette gave the lead back to the Golden Eagles but a trifecta from German moved NIU in front by a pair, 45-43, with 17:10 left. 

Marquette regained a slim, four-point lead but a pair of free throws by James brought the Huskies within a pair, 57-55, just before the midway point of the second half. The Golden Eagles scored 11 of the next 12 however as they pushed their lead to 68-56 with 7:49 left to end any hopes of a Huskie upset. 

Markus Howard led Marquette with 26 points, Sam Hauser added 21 and Andrew Rowsey chipped in 11 points. 

NIU will return home for its final game before the Christmas holiday on Thursday, Dec. 21, when the Huskies host UIC. Game time against the Flames is slated for 7 p.m. Tickets for all Huskie basketball home games are on sale now through the NIU Athletics Ticket Office in the Convocation Center, by calling 815-753-PACK (7225) or online at NIUHuskies.com. Reserved lower bowl seats are just $10 while general admission is available for $8.