MT. PLEASANT, Mich. – Four Huskies scored in double figures, led by 26 points from senior Levi Bradley (Milwaukee, Wis./Pius XI), as the Northern Illinois University men's basketball team defeated Central Michigan, 89-86, on Tuesday night at McGuirk Arena. Junior Eugene German (Gary, Ind./21st Century Charter) added 19 points, senior Dante Thorpe (Washington, D.C./Triton College) had 18 points and senior Lacey James (Grand Rapids, Mich./Rider) scored 16 points with 19 rebounds.

NIU (14-16, 7-10 MAC) went 8-of-8 from the free-throw line in the final minute to hold off the Chippewas. The Huskies also outrebounded Central Michigan 46-32, including 18-11 on the offensive end, leading to a 26-6 edge in second chance points. 

An 8-2 burst gave Central Michigan its first lead of the contest, 8-6, in the early going. Freshman Trendon Hankerson (Novi, Mich./Novi) answered on the next possession with a triple to move NIU back in front. 

Central Michigan (20-10, 9-8 MAC) began matching NIU's two-point shots with threes as the Chippewas built a seven-point lead, 25-18, with just under eight minutes to play in the opening half. 

A 10-0 Huskie run gave NIU a four-point lead, 31-27. Thorpe made a pair of free throws, followed by a floater. Bradley then converted an old-fashioned three-point play and a trifecta to push the Huskies in front by four with 4:29 to play before the break

The Chippewas answered with the next seven as they went in front by three, 34-31. Central Michigan pushed its lead to five in the final minute of the half before Bradley made a pair of free throws to cut the CMU lead to 40-37 at the intermission. 

James had 10 points and 10 rebounds in the opening 20 minutes, Bradley also scored 10 points while David DiLeo had 14 for Central Michigan as the Chippewas made eight three-pointers in the first half. 

Central Michigan opened the second half 3-of-3 from behind the arc as the Chippewas took a 49-41 advantage. 

NIU came right back with the next eight, four from Thorpe and four by German, as the Huskies pulled even at 49 with 16:15 left. 

The two teams traded five point burst as a bucket by Bradley brought NIU back even with Central Michigan, 54-54, with a little more than 12 minutes to play. 

NIU took a 61-58 lead on an old-fashioned three-point play by Bradley and, after Central Michigan pulled with one, Hankerson knocked in a corner triple to put the Huskies in front by four, 65-61. 

The Huskie lead grew to five on a deep triple by German with six minutes left. CMU trimmed the NIU lead to just three, 72-69, before six-straight Huskie points, two from Thorpe and four free throws by Bradley, pushed the NIU lead to 78-69 with just over two minutes to play. 

Central Michigan began to full-court press, forcing the Huskies into a pair of turnovers, and a five-point Chippewa burst brought CMU within one, 83-82, with 18 seconds to play. 

NIU continued to make its free throws however, finishing the game 22-of-26 (84.6 percent) from the charity stripe, as the Huskies held off the late Central Michigan comeback attempt. 

Shawn Roundtree finished the game with 23 points for the Chippewas, Larry Austin added 19 points and 12 rebounds, DiLeo chipped in 17 points and Dallas Morgan scored 16 for Central Michigan. 

The Huskies will close the 2018-19 regular season on Friday night, March 8, when they travel to Muncie, Ind., to meet Ball State. Tip-off between the Huskies and Cardinals is slated for 6 p.m. CT and will be available on ESPN+.