BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – Sophomore Levi Bradley scored all 12 of his points in the second half and ignited a 17-0 run as the Northern Illinois University men’s basketball team defeated Bowling Green, 69-52, on Saturday afternoon at the Stroh Center. The Huskies led by just a pair before the 17-0 burst moved NIU comfortably in front for good.
Sophomore Jaylen Key also added 12 points as the Huskies won back-to-back road games to improve to 11-6 overall, 3-1 in Mid-American Conference play.
NIU scored the first five to open the contest, but Bowling Green answered with the next half-dozen to take its first lead of the afternoon with 13:45 to play in the first half.
With the game tied, 8-8, NIU used an 8-0 run to take a 16-8 lead with 8:42 left before the break. Key ignited the run with the first two baskets, freshman Justin Thomas added a layup off glass and sophomore Austin Pauga chipped in a layup as the Huskies took an eight-point lead.
Bowling Green (7-10, 1-3 MAC) responded with 11 of the next 15 as the Falcons cut the NIU lead to just one, 20-19, with five minutes left in the half.
The Huskies came back with a 9-2 run as sophomore Marshawn Wilson knocked in a triple, Key made two more baskets and Thomas got a friendly bounce as NIU led 29-21.
After Bowling Green climbed back within four, senior Marin Maric and Wilson each split a pair of free throws as the Huskies took a 31-25 lead into the intermission.
Maric finished with seven points and a team-high 10 rebounds.
Key led all scorers with eight points in the opening 20 minutes; Ismail Ali had seven to pace the Falcons.
NIU opened the second half with a basket from freshman Eugene German, but Bowling Green hit back-to-back corner threes to close the gap to a pair, 33-31.
The Huskie lead was still a pair when a bucket from Bradley opened a 17-0 NIU run. Key added a layup off glass, senior Dontel Highsmith converted an old-fashioned three-point play, Bradley added a three-point play and a corner triple as the Huskies led 52-37. The run continued as Bradley knocked down a pair from the line and Key added another basket to give NIU a 19-point lead with 7:39 left.
Highsmith finished with nine points, including a perfect 5-of-5 from the field.
Bowling Green cut the NIU advantage back to 11, but the Falcons got no closer as the Huskies cruised home to the road victory.
The Huskies held the Falcons to just 37.9 percent (11-of-29) shooting in the second half while shooting 48.1 percent (13-of-27) in the second 20 minutes; NIU also went 10-of-10 from the free-throw line after the intermission.
Ali finished with a game-high 16 points for the Falcons; Dylan Frye added 13 points off the bench for Bowling Green.
NIU will return home on Tuesday, Jan. 17, as the Huskies begin a three-game homestand when they host Miami (Ohio). Game time against the RedHawks is slated for 7 p.m. CT.
