YPSILANTI, Mich. – Eastern Michigan led by eight at halftime and shot 64.5 percent (20-of-31) in the second half as the Eagles downed the Northern Illinois University men's basketball team, 82-53, on Saturday afternoon at the EMU Convocation Center. 

Sophomore Eugene German (Gary, Ind./21st Century Charter) scored a team-high 16 points and grabbed a team-best seven rebounds while sophomore Noah McCarty (Rock Falls, Ill./Sterling Newman) added a career-best 11 points. 

Eastern Michigan shot 55 percent (33-of-60) in the contest, while holding NIU to just 37.3 percent (19-of-51). 

"I thought we set the tone with a 6-0 run to start the game," said NIU head coach Mark Montgomery. "The balls was moving, we were making the zone shift, but it was the opposite in the second half. Turnovers and missed shots that led to runouts helped Eastern Michigan get going and got them in offensive rhythm. We couldn't get our defense set and Eastern Michigan is very good in transition. 

"It is a game of runs, (Eastern Michigan) made a run (early) in the second half and we didn't answer." 

NIU (12-17, 5-11 MAC) started fast, scoring the opening six points of the contest on a basket by junior Dante Thorpe (Washington, D.C./Triton College) and a pair of buckets from junior Levi Bradley (Milwaukee, Wis./Pius XI). 

Bradley finished with eight points and four rebounds. 

With the Huskies in front by five, Eastern Michigan used a 15-0 run to take an 18-8 lead midway through the opening half. 

Freshman Owen Hamilton (Prescott, Wis./Prescott) ended the Eagle run with a layup, junior Lacey James (Grand Rapids, Mich./Rider) added a layup and Bradley made a pair of free throws as the Huskies climbed back within four, 18-14, with 8:34 left until the intermission. 

After a triple from German brought the Huskies within three, 20-17, Eastern Michigan answered with the next 10 as the Eagles lead grew to 13. 

Baskets from McCarty and Bradley, along with a free throw from freshman Gairges Daow (Melbourne, Australia/Victory Rock Academy), trimmed the Eastern Michigan lead back to eight with 85 seconds to play in the half. The two teams traded free throws in the final minute as Eastern Michigan took a 31-23 lead into the intermission. 

Eastern Michigan (18-11, 9-3 MAC) scored the first eight to open the second half. A triple by German slowed the Eagles run but Eastern Michigan scored the next six as the Eagles led 45-26 with 15:31 to play. 

The Eagles led by 16 when a 14-2 run helped push the Eastern Michigan lead to 62-34 with just over 11 minutes remaining as Eastern Michigan went on to a Senior Day victory.  

Elijah Minnie scored a game-high 26 points to lead Eastern Michigan. James Thompson IV added 14 points, Paul Jackson scored 13 points and Tim Bond chipped in 11 points for the Eagles. 

NIU will return home next week as the Huskies close the regular season with a pair of home games. NIU will host Toledo on Tuesday, Feb. 27, before welcoming Ball State to DeKalb for the regular season finale on Friday, March 2. Tickets 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.