ATLANTA, Ga. – Makhai Valentine (Munhall, Pa./Steel Valley) scored 23 points, including 5-of-6 from three, as the Northern Illinois University men's basketball team outlasted Georgia State, 75-74, on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 7) at the GSU Convocation Center. Dylan Ducommun (Geneva, Switzerland) added 13 points and Taj Walters (Bronx, N.Y./Moravian Prep) added 12 as the Huskies earned a victory in the MAC/Sun Belt Challenge. 

NIU (8-14) made 11 triples in the contest, shooting 47.8 percent (11-of-23) from beyond the arc, while holding Georgia State to just 4-of-20 (20 percent) from three. 

Gianni Cobb (Chicago, Ill./Homewood-Flossmoor) and Valentine each knocked down a pair of triples in the opening five minutes as the Huskies built an early 14-7 advantage. Georgia State answered with the next four to trim the Huskie lead to three with 14:22 to play in the half. 

After a basket by Daemar Kelly (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills) put the Huskies in front by five, 16-11, Georgia State (9-16) used a 12-2 run to take a 23-18 lead with just over eight minutes to play in the half. 

NIU was within three after a bucket from Ducommun, but the Panthers then used an 8-2 burst to push their advantage to 31-22 with a little less than four minutes to play before the intermission. 

A triple from Ducommun ignited a 10-2 run for the Huskies to close the half. Walters made a pair of free throws and Hassan 'Tre' Washington (Providence, R.I./Prise Academy) finished at the rim to bring NIU within three. After Georgia State made a basket, Ducommun hit another three at the buzzer to cut the Panther lead to 37-35 at the half. 

Cobb, Ducommun and Valentine each had eight points in the opening 20 minutes to lead the Huskies. Micah Tucker had eight points to lead Georgia State. NIU was 6-of-13 (46.2 percent) from beyond the arc in the first half. 

Walters scored NIU's first eight points to start the second half as the Huskies took a 43-41 lead less than two minutes into the second stanza. 

Leading by one, Georgia State used a 6-0 burst to take a 56-49 lead. Valentine ended the Panther run with a corner triple to bring the Huskies within four, 56-52, with 12 minutes to play. 

Valentine's fourth triple of the afternoon pulled the Huskies even at 58 just before the midway point of the half and a pair of free throws from Valentine gave NIU a 62-61 lead with 7:34 left. 

The NIU lead was still one when Walters made a pair of free throws with 4:19 remaining, giving the Huskies a 68-65 advantage. Georgia State pulled even at 68 before Valentine knocked in his fifth triple of the contest with 1:22 left, giving NIU a 71-68 lead. 

Following a free throw from the Panthers that cut the NIU lead to a pair, Ducommun finished off glass to give the Huskies a 73-69 lead with 41 seconds to play. 

NIU still led by four, 75-71, with 26 seconds left after the two teams exchanged a pair of free throws. Georgia State then split a pair of free throws and, following a NIU turnover, made two more to pull within one, 75-74, with 7.2 seconds left. 

After a Georgia State foul, NIU missed the front end of a one-and-one. The Panthers raced the length of the floor but a pull-up three at the buzzer was no good as the Huskies survived for the road victory. 

Tucker and Jelani Hamilton each finished with 16 points for Georgia State. Malachi Brown added 11 points and Christian Beam finished with 10. 

NIU will return to league play on Wednesday, Feb. 11, when the Huskies host Bowling Green. Game time against the Falcons is scheduled for 7 p.m.