PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The Northern Illinois University men's basketball team led for over 25 minutes but a 15-0 Pittsburgh run to close the game spoiled the upset bid of the Huskies as the Panthers escaped a 59-50 victory on Monday night (Dec. 16) at the Petersen Events Center. Senior Eugene German (Gary, Ind./21st Century Charter) scored a game-high 18 points to lead the way for the Huskies. 

"It was a well-played game both ways," said NIU head coach Mark Montgomery. "Our guys competed, they played hard, when Pittsburgh went to that 2-2-1 back to a zone it definitely through us off our rhythm. They were the more aggressive team with three (minutes) to go, they seized the momentum and we couldn't make a basket. 

"We missed some open shots that we usually make but I loved how our guys competed, played with confidence and played with great energy, that is all you can ask."

Back-to-back triples from junior Zaire Mateen (Queens, N.Y./Laramie County Community College) and German helped give the Huskies an early 8-5 advantage but Pittsburgh answered with the next six as the Panthers went in front, 11-8, with just over 13 minutes to play in the opening half. 

The Panthers were up by three when a 7-0 Huskie run forced a Pittsburgh timeout. Junior Nathan Scott (Naperville, Ill./Olney Central College) started the run with a dunk off a feed from German, Scott then knocked in a corner triple and German made a jumper as the Huskies led 17-13 with 8:16 to play in the half. 

A short corner jumper from senior Lacey James (Grand Rapids, Mich./Rider) helped push the NIU lead to a half-dozen before a 7-3 run by Pittsburgh brought the Panthers within a pair, 22-20. Sophomore Justin Lee (Lawrenceville, Ga./Collins Hill) then knocked in a triple for the Huskies, the first of his career, to extend the NIU lead back to five with 4:19 left before the intermission. 

James finished with eight points and a game-high nine rebounds, Lee chipped in seven points in 14 minutes off the bench. 

Pittsburgh (8-3) closed the opening half with a 7-3 burst to cut the NIU lead to just one, 30-29, at the intermission. German led all scorers with 13 points in the opening 20 minutes, Xavier Johnson and Trey McGowens each had nine for the Panthers. 

A layup from an offensive rebound by senior Noah McCarty (Rock Falls, Ill./Sterling Newman) and a dunk from James helped the Huskies to a five-point lead, 36-31, early in the second half. 

NIU (6-5) extended its lead to 43-36 on a jumper from James and a triple by German with 12:52 remaining. Pittsburgh clawed back to within two at 46-44 before McCarty scored off an offensive rebound as the Huskie advantage went back to four with 7:27 left. 

At the 6:35 mark, McCarty made another an interior bucket, off a feed from James to give the Huskies a 50-44 lead. Pittsburgh scored the next half-dozen to pull even for the first time in the second half with 4:41 to play. 

The Panthers extended the run to 8-0 with a dunk from Justin Champagnie as Pittsburgh took the lead with 2:40 remaining. Pittsburgh would go on to add the next seven, holding the Huskies scoreless to close the contest. 

McGowens led the Panthers with 18 points, Johnson added 11 and Eric Hamilton chipped in 10 points. 

NIU will finish its current four-game road trip on Thursday, December 19, as the Huskies travel to Chicago State. Tipoff against the Cougars is slated for 7 p.m.