AKRON, Ohio – Five players scored in double figures and the Northern Illinois University men's basketball team shot 64 percent (16-of-25) from the field in the second half as the Huskies claimed their first win at Akron since 2008 with a 66-63 victory on Thursday night (Feb. 17) at Rhodes Arena.
Keshawn Williams (Chicago Heights, Ill./Tulsa) scored a team-high 15 points,
Kaleb Thornton (Bolingbrook, Ill./Iowa Western CC) added 12 points,
Chinedu Kingsley Okanu (Lynwood, Ill./Vincennes University) scored 11 while
Trendon Hankerson (Novi, Mich./Novi) and
Zool Kueth (Gallatin, Tenn./Pratt CC) each chipped in 10 as NIU recorded just its third all-time victory on the road against the Zips.
After Akron had a five-point lead early in the second half, neither team led by more than four over the final 16 minutes of the contest.
With the Zips still in front by three, Williams made a tough fadeaway jumper and Kueth got behind the Akron defense for a dunk to put the Huskies in front, 34-33, with 12:36 left, forcing an Akron timeout.
After the Zips went back in front by three, Kueth canned a trifecta to even the contest at 45 with 8:45 to play.
Kueth's second triple of the night put NIU up, 51-50, but Akron answered with the next four to take a three-point advantage with just under five minutes left.
The Akron lead was four, 58-54, until Hankerson converted three-point play and then finished a floater in the lane to give the Huskies a 59-58 lead with just under two minutes remaining.
After Akron tied the game with a free throw,
Anthony Crump (Inkster, Mich./Middle Tennessee) converted at the rim and Williams made a pair of free throws, giving NIU a 63-59 advantage with 42 seconds on the clock.
The Huskies and Zips traded another basket for free throws, with Williams again making a pair at the line. Following another bucket by Akron, Thornton made a free throw to give the Huskies a three-point lead, 66-63.
On the final possession, the Huskie defense pressured the Zips into losing the ball on the floor and as the teams dove for it the horn sounded, giving NIU its second consecutive road win.
Ali Ali finished with a game-high 20 points for Akron, Greg Tribble added 10 points for the Zips.
Akron was in front, 16-8, nine minutes into the contest before
Adong Makuoi (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada/Daytona State College) converted a hook shot and Hankerson knocked in a triple to bring the Huskies within three with 8:55 to play in the opening half.
The Zips answered with the next five to take a 21-13 advantage with six minutes left in the first stanza.
NIU used a 7-1 burst to get back within a pair, 24-22, with just 17 seconds remaining in the half. Okanu converted an old-fashioned three-point play, Williams finished an alley-oop off a feed from Thornton and Okanu scored again to get trim the Akron lead to just two. The Zips made a free throw on their final possession of the half to take a 25-22 advantage into the break.
Okanu scored seven points to lead NIU and ALI had seven to pace the Zips in the opening 20 minutes. Akron shot 52.9 percent (9-of-17) from the field in the first half, but the Huskies had 11 more field goal attempts to trail by just three at the break.
NIU will return home on Saturday, Feb. 19, when the Huskies host Miami in the second game of a "Cram the Convo" doubleheader. The NIU women's basketball team will host Western Michigan to begin the day at 1 p.m. "Cram the Convo" will feature a Kids' Zone, Huskie Pride pennant giveaway and appearances by the NIU MAC Championship men's soccer and football teams. Reserved tickets for "Cram the Convo" are available for just $5 by using the promo code "CRAM" when purchasing tickets online.
