The Northern Illinois University men’s basketball team saw its four-game winning streak, and its season, come to a close on Monday night as the Huskies fell to Akron, 76-52, at Rhodes Arena. The Zips shot 60 percent in the first half, including 57.1 percent from three, to build a 28-point halftime lead.
Sophomore Aaric Armstead scored a team-high 12 points while senior Anthony Johnson added 10 points.
“Akron’s hot start really hurt us, they it a couple of bombs with the shot clock running down and it lifted their spirits,” said NIU head coach Mark Montgomery. “I called a timeout to try to weather the storm but it was one of those nights. Credit Akron, they came out hot, stayed hot, they sped us up and we never got in a rhythm. We just couldn’t settle in, we didn’t have enough patience early when they were making shots.
“It’s disappointing going out like this because we were playing good basketball and it leaves a sour taste on the mouth of all of us.”
The Zips finished the game shooting 51 percent from the field (26-of-51), including 46.7 percent from three (14-of-30). NIU shot 39.2 percent in the contest (20-of-51), including 20 percent (3-of-15) from three.
Akron raced out to a 9-0 lead early on as triples from Antino Jackson and Jake Kretzer gave the Zips the early advantage.
A Travon Baker steal and layup on the break by sophomore Michael Orris trimmed the Akron lead to 16-6 before the Zips used a 17-0 run to take a 33-6 lead. Akron knocked down four triples during the burst as the Zips took a 27-point lead with 9:16 to play in the first half
The Huskies played the remainder of the first half nearly even with the Zips as Akron took a 48-20 lead into the intermission.
Akron was 18-of-30 (60 percent) from the field in the first half, including 8-of-14 (57.1 percent) from behind the arc while holding the Huskies to 42.9 percent (9-of-21) shooting, including 0-of-6 from three.
NIU scored the first eight points out of the intermission, but Akron responded with the next seven as the Zips led, 55-28, with 16:38 to play.
The Huskies would outscore Akron, 32-28, in the second half but it wasn’t enough to overcome the halftime deficit.
Four players scored in double figures for the Zips, led by 18 points off the bench from Deji Ibitayo. Reggie McAdams added 15 points off the bench with Kwan Cheatham Jr. scored 12 points and Jackson chipped in 10.
Akron advances to face Western Michigan on Wednesday night in the MAC Tournament Second Round at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
NIU finishes its season at 14-16, giving the Huskies 29 victories combined in the last two seasons, the best two-year win total for NIU since the 2001-02 and 2002-03 seasons.
