DEKALB, Ill. -- Five Huskies scored in double figures but the Northern Illinois University men's basketball team dropped a 74-66 decision to Ohio on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 21). Makhai Valentine (Munhall, Pa./Steel Valley) led the way for NIU with 15 points. Gianni Cobb (Chicago, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor) and Dylan Ducommun (Geneva, Switzerland) each added 13 points. 

Taj Walters (Bronx, N.Y./Moravian Prep) and Gustav Winther (Roskilde, Denmark) each chipped in 10 points for the Huskies. Walters also had a team-high eight rebounds. 

"Our guys battled for 40 minutes," said NIU head coach Rashon Burno. "The foul distribution from our frontcourt, having two guys foul out, was disruptive to our rhythm. (Ohio) was more physical than us and having the disruption with our two (centers) fouling out was a blow to what we needed to do because (Ohio) has a pretty good low post guy who is super aggressive."

Ohio (15-13, 9-6 MAC) outscored NIU 22-5 off turnovers as the Huskies committed 14 miscues to just seven by the Bobcats. 

The Huskies led by one until a 5-0 burst for the Bobcats gave Ohio a 13-9 lead with a little under 13 minutes to play in the opening half. Following a timeout, the Ohio run extended to 8-0 as the visitors led by seven. 

Ohio's advantage grew to 10 before a corner triple from Walters and a jumper from Jaylen Wharton (Plant City, Fla./Durant) cut the Bobcat lead to half to 22-17 with 7:27 left before the intermission. 

The visitors answered with the next eight as Ohio increased its advantage to 30-17 with 5:38 to play before halftime. Ohio's lead grew to as large as 15 in the opening half, but the Huskies trimmed the Bobcat advantage to 37-25 at the intermission. 

Javan Simmons led all scorers with 14 points in the opening 20 minutes for the Bobcats, Ducommun and Winther each had six to pace the Huskies. 

NIU (9-17, 4-10 MAC) opened the second half on an 8-0 run, cutting the Ohio lead to 37-33 with 17:18 to play. Cobb opened the half with a bucket; Valentine added a pair of free throws before Walters and Winther scored to bring the Huskies within four. 

Ohio responded with a pair of triples, sandwiched around a Huskie free throw, as the Bobcats led 43-34 with just under 16 minutes remaining. 

After the Bobcat lead reached a dozen, NIU used a 7-2 burst to pull back within seven. Walters knocked in a triple; Valentine added a basket and Winther had a dunk to cut the Ohio advantage to 48-41 with 12:53 to go. 

A triple from Ducommun and a bucket from Walters brought NIU within four, 53-49, just before the midway point of the second half, but Ohio responded with the next seven points as the Bobcats led 60-49 with 8:37 left. 

NIU then used a 10-3 spurt to get back within four, 63-59. Ducommun and Valentine made trifectas during the burst while Hassan 'Tre' Washington (Providence, R.I./Prise Academy) and Cobb also scored. Ohio once again had an answer however, as the Bobcats used a 6-0 run to balloon the lead to 69-59 with just over four minutes to play. 

Following a timeout, Ohio scored four more to push its lead to 14 as the Bobcats claimed the road win. 

Simmons finished with a game-high 23 points, Aidan Hadaway added a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds while Jackson Paveletzke chipped in 14 points. 

NIU heads back on the road on Tuesday, Feb. 24, as the Huskies travel to Toledo. NIU will return home on Saturday, Feb. 28, for the annual Cram the Convo doubleheader as the Huskies take on Ball State, tickets are available now at NIUHuskies.com/tickets.