DEKALB, Ill. – Five players scored in double figures, led by a season-high 18 points from sophomore Levi Bradley (Milwaukee, Wis./Pius XI) and a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds from senior Marin Maric (Split, Croatia./La Lumiere School), as the Northern Illinois University men's basketball team downed Central Michigan, 89-66 on Tuesday night at McGuirk Arena. 

Freshman Eugene German (Gary, Ind./21st Century Charter) added 16 points, sophomore Jaylen Key (Milwaukee, Wis./Homestead) added 12 points and senior Dontel Highsmith (Dowagiac, Mich./Dowagiac) had 10 points as the Huskies shot 55.9 percent from the field to complete the season sweep of the Chippewas. 

NIU (15-13, 7-8 MAC) raced out to a quick 10-point lead in the opening five-and-a-half minutes of the contest. German scored the game's first four points, Central Michigan answered with the next four but the Huskies then scored the next 10 to lead 14-4. Maric scored a pair, Bradley had the next four, Highsmith knocked down a baseline jumper and Maric finished the run with a bucket as NIU took the early lead. 

Central Michigan cut the NIU advantage to just a half-dozen until a wing triple from German pushed the Huskie advantage to 18-9 with 11:22 to play in the opening half. 

Leading by seven, NIU used a 13-2 run to take a 34-16 lead with just under five minutes to play before halftime. Maric opened the run with a bucket before German added a triple. After a pair from Central Michigan, Key scored the next six, followed by a bucket from sophomore Laytwan Porter (Rockford, Ill./Auburn), as the Huskies took an 18-point lead. 
  
NIU's lead grew to as much as 20 in the final minute of the opening stanza before Central Michigan finished the half with the final four points as the Huskies took a 46-30 lead into the break. 

Bradley led all scorers with 11 in the opening 20 minutes; German and Key each added 10 as NIU shot 52.6 percent (20-of-38) from the field in the first half while holding Central Michigan to just 26.7 percent (8-of-30) shooting. 

Central Michigan trimmed the NIU advantage to 14 until a layup by Porter and a corner triple from sophomore Austin Pauga (Naperville, Ill./IMG Academy) pushed the NIU lead to 59-40 with 15:29 to play. The Chippewas answered with the next six, cutting the Huskie lead back to 13. 

With the NIU advantage still 13, Maric and a layup, followed by a trifecta from Highsmith on a drive and kick, as NIU led 66-48 with just over 11 minutes to play. 

Back-to-back triples from Central Michigan trimmed the Huskie lead to 14, but a layup from Maric and a basket from Bradley quickly pushed the NIU up to 18, 78-60, with 6:42 remaining. 

The Chippewas would trim the gap to 17 with 4:25 left, but the Huskies scored the next nine to put the game away. 

Central Michigan was led by 18 points from Marcus Keene, the nation's leading scorer, but Keene went just 4-of-16 from the floor. 

NIU will continue its swing through the State of Michigan on Saturday, Feb. 25, when the Huskies travel to Eastern Michigan. Game time against the Eagles is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT.