DEKALB, Ill. – Buffalo held the Northern Illinois University men's basketball team to just 21.9 percent (7-of-32) shooting from three-point range as the Bulls topped the Huskies, 81-67, on Wednesday afternoon (Dec. 31) at the NIU Convocation Center. The Bulls built a 14-point halftime lead before NIU rallied to within five in the second half but was unable to get any closer. 

Dylan Ducommun (Geneva, Switzerland) had a game-high 19 points for the Huskies, Taj Walters (Bronx, N.Y./Moravian Prep) added 13 while Makhai Valentine (Munhall, Pa./Steel Valley) finished with 11 points. 

"Disappointed in regard to our effort," said NIU head coach Rashon Burno. "Buffalo did a good job of running their game plan, which is a low possession game. The first five minutes of the second half is what we wanted the entire game to look like. Hats off to (Buffalo), they executed, they got stops, they made plays. When we got within 6-7 points, their best players stepped up and made plays"

Both teams made a quick start offensively as NIU made five of its first eight from the floor and Buffalo made four of its first five as the Huskies held a narrow, 10-9 lead inside the opening five minutes of the contest.

NIU (5-8, 1-1 MAC) led 12-9 until Buffalo used an 11-2 burst to move in front, 20-14, with 11:13 to play in the half. Ezra McKenna made three triples during the run for the Bulls. 

Following a timeout, the Bulls scored five more, extending the run to 16-2 as they led 25-14 just past the midway point of the opening 20 minutes. A basket by Gustav Winther (Roskilde, Denmark) and a free throw from Daemar Kelly (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills) stopped the Buffalo run and brought NIU back within eight, 25-17. 

After the Buffalo lead grew to a dozen, six-straight points from NIU brought the Huskies back within just six, 29-23. Hassan 'Tre' Washington (Providence, R.I./Prise Academy) opened the burst with a layup, Walters then added a pair of free throws before Gianni Cobb (Chicago, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor) finished with a basket with 6:28 to play in the half. 

Buffalo (12-2, 2-0 MAC) responded with the next five as the lead grew back to 11 for the visitors. 

The Bulls took a 43-29 lead into the half. Daniel Frietag scored 17 points to lead the way for Buffalo, who shot 48.4 percent (15-of-31) from the field in the opening half, including 7-of-14 from three. Ducommun had seven points to lead NIU, but the Huskies were just 2-of-14 (14.3 percent) from beyond the arc in the first 20 minutes. 

NIU scored the first eight out of the intermission to force an early Buffalo timeout. After Winther made a pair of free throws, Ducommun knocked in back-to-back triples as the Huskies cut the Buffalo advantage to 43-37 just 80 seconds into the second stanza. 

The Buffalo lead was still six until back-to-back baskets for the Bulls gave the visitors a 52-42 lead with 15:22 left. A triple from Walters and a tip-in by Ladji Kante (Marseille, France) cut the Buffalo lead in half but the Bulls scored the next four to lead, 56-47, with just over 12 minutes remaining.

NIU climbed back within five, 58-53, on a pair of free throws from Walters just past the midway point of the half. 

Leading by seven with just under seven minutes to play, Buffalo used a 7-2 spurt to push its lead to 71-59 with 4:43 left. A Valentine four-point play brought NIU back within eight, but the Bulls answered with the next five to put the game out of reach. 

Freitag finished with a game-high 33 points, Ryan Sabol added 14 points, McKenna chipped in 11 points and Angelo Brizzi finished with 10 points. 

NIU will head on the road for the first time in conference play on Saturday, Jan. 3, when the Huskies travel to Kent State. Tip-off against the Golden Flashes is slated for 12 p.m. CT. NIU will return home on Tuesday, Jan. 6, when the Huskies host Toledo.