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Win streak ends for NIU at Western Michigan

KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- Western Michigan knocked down 12 three-pointers as the NIU men’s basketball team fell to the Broncos, 83-69, on Saturday night at University Arena. The loss snapped NIU’s seven-game win streak and dropped the Huskies to 14-3 overall, 3-1 in Mid-American Conference play.

Junior Aaric Armstead  scored a team-best 15 points and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds in the loss. Freshman Austin Pauga  added 12 points on four three-pointers while freshman Levi Bradley (Milwaukee, Wis./Pius XI) and sophomore Marin Maric (Split, Croatia/La Lumiere School) each added 11 points.

“You have to give Western Michigan credit, they came out very aggressive,” said NIU head coach Mark Montgomery. “It is hard to win a game when you don’t have your best players. You have to credit Western (Michigan), they took us out of our game. We live and learn, and you have to move on, there was more to the game than the early incident.

“We tried to weather the storm but our turnovers led to baskets for them. You have to take care of the ball and play strong, but they sped us up, so credit to Western Michigan.”

Western Michigan (7-10, 1-3 MAC) raced out to a 9-2 lead in the opening four minutes of the contest. With the Broncos driving for another layup off a turnover, senior Travon Baker  was whistled for a foul trying to prevent the layup. The foul was deemed a flagrant two and Baker was ejected from the contest, along with three other Huskies who were judged to have left the bench area in the ensuing altercation.

The Broncos led 22-9 just past the midway point of the half until a 6-0 Huskie run trimmed the Western Michigan lead back to just seven, 22-15. Freshman Jaylen Key (Milwaukee, Wis./Homestead) opened the run for the Huskies with a bucket, junior Michael Orris  added a pair of free throws and Maric added a basket to close the run with 7:42 to play in the half.

A bucket from Bradley pulled NIU within nine with 1:20 to play before the intermission but a triple from Bryce Moore, Western Michigan’s seventh of the opening half, pushed the Bronco lead to a dozen, 40-28, at the break.

Moore led all scorers with 13 points in the opening 20 minutes; Key paced the Huskies with eight points.

A basket by Maric and a corner triple from Armstead helped the Huskies trim the Western Michigan lead to just seven, 40-33, to open the second half.

Western Michigan responded with a 17-4 run to push its lead to 57-37 with 14 minutes to play, ending any hopes of a Huskie comeback.

Moore led all scorers with 24 points, Anthony Avery Jr. and Tucker Haymond each added 11 for the Broncos. Western Michigan outrebounded NIU 40-31 in the contest and the Broncos forced 21 Huskie turnovers.

NIU shot 48.9 percent (23-of-47) from the field in the contest but attempted 12 fewer shots as a results of Western Michigan’s 14-6 edge in offensive rebounds. The Broncos shot 42.4 percent (25-of-59), including 46.2 percent (12-of-26) from three.

The Huskies will return home on Tuesday, Jan. 19, as they host Central Michigan. Game time against the Chippewas is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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