TOLEDO, Ohio – Sophomore Eugene German (Gary, Ind./21st Century Charter) scored a career-high 30 points, to go along with seven rebounds and four assists, and junior Levi Bradley (Milwaukee, Wis./Pius XI) added 24 points as the Northern Illinois University men's basketball team erased a 12-point halftime deficit before falling late at Toledo, 82-77, on Tuesday night at Savage Arena. 

The Huskies shot 50 percent (34-of-68) from the field in the contest, including 55.6 percent (20-of-36) in the second half, but were unable to overcome Toledo's advantage at the free-throw line where the Rockets went 25-of-31 to just 5-of-7 for the Huskies. 

Six-straight from the Huskies, four from junior Dante Thorpe (Washington, D.C./Triton College) and two from German, gave NIU an early 8-5 lead, but Toledo answered with a 15-2 run to take a 20-10 lead just before the midway point of the first half. 

Thorpe played just five minutes, going 2-of-2 from the floor, before missing the rest of the game due to injury. 

German and Bradley each converted a layup to stop the Toledo run and bring the Huskies back within a half-dozen, 20-14, with just under nine minutes to play in the opening half. 

With Toledo (17-7, 9-2 MAC) still in front by six, the Rockets used an 8-2 burst to push their lead to a dozen, 30-18, with a little over five minutes to play before the intermission. 

Both teams scored 10 points in the final five minutes of the half as Toledo maintained its 12-point lead heading into the break, 40-28. Tre'Shaun Fletcher scored 15 points for Toledo to lead all scorers in the opening 20 minutes, German led NIU with 10 points. Toledo went 8-of-9 from the free-throw line in the opening half, NIU did not attempt a free throw in the opening 20 minutes.  

NIU (10-14, 3-8 MAC) opened the second half with a 10-2 run as the Huskies pulled within four. Sophomore Justin Thomas (Indianapolis, Ind./Pike) made a pair of free throws to open the half. After a basket by Toledo, junior Lacey James (Grand Rapids, Mich./Rider) and Anastasios Demogerontas (Orland Park, Ill./Moraine Valley CC) each made layups, and German made a pair of buckets, as NIU cut the Toledo lead to 42-38. 

A basket by the Rockets increased the lead back to six, but NIU answered with an 11-3 run to take a 49-47 lead with just over 12 minutes left. Bradley opened the run with a layup, sophomore Noah McCarty (Rock Falls, Ill./Sterling Newman) scored the next seven and German put the Huskies in front with a driving layup. 

McCarty's seven points during the burst were his only seven points of the contest. 

Five-straight points from Bradley helped the NIU lead grow to five, 56-51, but Toledo scored the next six, all from the free-throw line, to reclaim the lead, 57-56, with 9:24 left. 

Over the final nine minutes, the Huskies and Rockets matched each other nearly shot-for-shot as nearly team led by more than four. 

Toledo took a three-point lead with 2:27 left and German answered with a triple to pull the Huskies level and the clock ticked under two minutes. 

After the two teams traded free throws, Toledo again took a three-point lead with a triple, only for German to answer with a trifecta of his own with 77 seconds to play. 

The Rockets hit another three as the clock went under a minute and, after NIU came up empty on its next possession, Toledo's lead reached five, 80-75, with a pair of free throws. 

A quick German layup brought NIU back within three and, after Toledo missed a pair of free throws, NIU had a look at a tying triple with less than 15 seconds left, but the shot wouldn't go as Toledo hung on for the victory. 

Jaelan Sanford led Toledo with 22 points, Fletcher added 22, Luke Knapke scored 14 points and Marreon Jackson added 13 points for the Rockets. 

NIU will return home on Saturday, Feb. 10, when the Huskies host Buffalo at 3:30 p.m., in the second half of a doubleheader with the NIU women's basketball team tipping off at 1 p.m. 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. Reserved lower bowl seats are just $10 while general admission is available for $8.