DEKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University men's basketball team picked up its second win in as many days as the Huskies defeated Rockford University, 96-48, on Saturday afternoon (Nov. 16) at the NIU Convocation Center. NIU shot 51.5 percent (34-of-66) from the field, including 47.4 percent (9-of-19) from three-point range, in the victory.

Senior Eugene German (Gary, Ind./21st Century Charter) scored a team-high 21 points, sophomore Trendon Hankerson (Novi, Mich./Novi) and freshman Tyler Cochran (Bolingbrook, Ill./Bolingbrook) each added 11 points while junior Chris Johnson (Chicago, Ill./South Suburban College) chipped in 10 points. 

With his 21 points, German moved past Leon Rodgers (1998-2002) into fifth on NIU's all-time scoring list with 1,658 career points. 

"I love games where everyone scores, so everyone is going home feeling good about themselves," said NIU head coach Mark Montgomery. "I thought we got a lot of (good) basketball out of everyone on the team, it was good to see 18 assists and only 11 turnovers. We shot a high percentage, it is a feel-good win, but it was earned, it wasn't given, and I liked how we competed today on both ends."

After NIU scored the first four points of the contest, Rockford made a trio of triples in the opening six minutes to lead, 12-8, in the early going. 

The Regents lead was three when NIU went on a 16-3 run to take a 27-17 lead with eight minutes left in the opening half. German scored the first nine during the run, including a four-point play as he was fouled on a three-point shot, Hankerson added a basket as the burst reached 11-0. After the fourth triple of the game from Rockford, NIU scored the next five, capped by a wing triple from junior Rod Henry-Hayes (Zion, Ill./Zion-Benton Township), as the NIU lead grew to 10. 

After another triple by Rockford, NIU scored the next nine, three from junior Nathan Scott (Naperville, Ill./Olney Central College) and two each from Johnson, sophomore Darius Beane (Carbondale, Ill./Southern Illinois) and junior Gairges Daow (Melbourne, Australia/Victory Rock Academy), as the Huskies took a 36-20 lead with 4:11 left before the break. 

Scott just missed a double-double with nine points and eight rebounds, Daow dished out a game-high four assists. 

Rockford trimmed the NIU lead back to a dozen before the Huskies scored the final six of the half to take a 46-28 lead into the intermission. 

NIU (2-2) shot 50 percent from the field (16-of-32) and 50 percent from the three-point line (4-of-8) in the opening 20 minutes. 

A short jumper from Scott and a triple by Hankerson, off an assist from Scott, helped the Huskies push the lead to 51-28 in the opening minute of the second half. 

Hankerson made another triple and senior Lacey James (Grand Rapids, Mich./Rider) scored seven points in the first four minutes of the second stanza as the NIU advantage grew to 61-34 as the Huskies cruised to the victory. 

All 11 Huskies that played in the contest scored and grabbed at least one rebound. The Huskies also dished out a season-high 18 assists, with six different players recording at least two assists. 

Rockford's Brandon Emerick scored a game-high 28 points on 11-of-22 shooting, including 6-of-16 from beyond the arc. As a team, the Regents shot 32.3 percent (20-of-62) in the contest, 24.1 percent (7-of-29) from three-point range. 

NIU will finished its three-game homestand on Monday night, November 18, as the Huskies welcome Longwood to the NIU Convocation Center. Tipoff against the Lancers is slated for 7 p.m. Tickets for Monday night's contest, and all remaining home games, including season tickets and flex passes, are available now at NIUHuskies.com/tickets or by calling 815-753-PACK (7225).