Tuesday, January 20, 2004
NIU road troubles continue to haunt
Men’s basketball team still winless away from Convo
Article by:
Mark Pickrel - Sports Reporter
• mpickrel@northernstar.info
On Saturday, the road woes continued for the NIU men’s basketball
team.
The Huskies dropped to 1-9 on the road this season after an 80-59 loss
to Ohio.
NIU (7-9 overall, 2-4 MAC) was outscored 44-26 in the second half.
“Give credit to Ohio,” NIU coach Rob Judson said. “They
really shot the ball well in the second half. We tried to focus on the
first four minutes of the second half, and we couldn’t get the
ball in the basket. It was difficult to get the ball in to Marcus [Smallwood].”
Judson’s team shot just 34.5 percent from the floor in the second
half, including 0-of-7 from the three-point line. NIU was 3-of-17 from
three-point range.
While NIU shot 34.5 percent, Ohio was 50 percent from the floor in
the second half and 6-of-9 from three-point range.
“We just didn’t put the ball in the hoop or get to the free-throw
line,” Judson said. “I also think their intensity carried
over from the Buffalo game. We got some backdoor plays against Eastern
Michigan that we did not get today.”
Ohio’s win over NIU and a 90-76 win over Buffalo earlier in the
week marked the first time all season the Bobcats have won back-to-back
games.
The Huskies trailed 18-9 early in the first half before going on a
16-3 run to take a 25-21 lead. NIU held the lead with less than a minute
remaining when Ohio (5-10, 2-3) got back-to-back baskets to take a 36-33
halftime lead.
After a career-high 25 points against Buffalo, Jaivon Harris scored
16 points, grabbed eight rebounds and added three steals for Ohio on
Saturday.
Harris was one of five Bobcats to reach double figures.
Perry Smith led the Huskies with 21 points, and Marcus Smallwood was
the only other NIU player to reach double figures with 11 points. Smallwood
also added 12 rebounds.
Ohio’s bench outscored NIU’s 46-19 and Ohio scored 10 fast-break
points to NIU’s two.
NIU to face Ball State
NIU will look for its first road win of the season when it travels to
Muncie, Ind., for a 6 p.m. game against Ball State tonight.
The Huskies (7-9, 2-3), who are still winless on the road this season,
have won three of the last four games played at Ball State.
The Cardinals (7-6, 4-1) are 6-1 at home this season and have won their
last four MAC games.
NIU shoots 28.3 percent from three-point range on the road, and Ball
State leads the conference in three-point shooting percentage defense
at 29.5 percent.
Ball State has three players who average double figures in points led
by Robert Owens’ 13.1 points per game.
Ball State assistant coach Jay Bryant is NIU’s single season and
career assist leader. Bryant played from 1976-’80 and was a teammate
with current NIU assistant coach Carl Armato.
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