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| Northern Illinois defenders Sean Kowal (41) and Jeremy Landers (right) attempt to stop Miami (Ohio) from shooting during Saturday's 74-69 Miami (Ohio) victory. (Scott Walstrom – NIU Media Services) |
DeKALB – Charlie Coles didn't, but the Miami (Ohio) coach came awfully close to apologizing for a victory over Northern Illinois on Saturday.
"There are some games you win, and you're OK," Coles said after the RedHawks defeated NIU 74-69 at the Convocation Center. "And then there are some games you win and you kind of feel bad for the opponent. I thought Northern played their rear ends off. We were very fortunate to win that game."
It wasn't so much that Coles almost felt bad that his team won, it was how the RedHawks (10-13, 7-3 MAC East) beat the Huskies (8-14, 4-6 MAC West) who have now lost six straight and are in a freefall to the bottom of the MAC standings.
In very un-Miami like fashion, the RedHawks came out firing from deep as opposed to their controlled, conservative style. They kept shooting, contested or uncontested, because they couldn't miss. Miami made 10 of 13 three-pointers in the first half on its way to a 44-26 halftime lead.
Prior to Saturday, Miami had only made 10 three-pointers in an entire game twice all season.
"If you look at their numbers prior to this game and even talking to coach Charlie Coles afterwards, that's not how they have shot the basketball," NIU coach Ricardo Patton said. "If you look at their numbers, if you look at film, they haven't shot the ball that way. They found gold here today though."
Both sides felt at halftime, though, that Miami couldn't keep up that level of shooting and the Huskies wouldn't miss so many easy shots and second-chance shots, allowing NIU a chance to come back into the game.
"We made 10 three's, so you just know the bottom is going to fall out sooner or later," Coles said. "See, when you make 10 three's, the problem with that is, your guys forget, they forget to work. It becomes easy."
Patton said the plan was to win each four minute segment of the second half. To an extent, thanks to a mix of zone defense and improved man-to-man defense, the Huskies met that goal, tying the game at 57 with 7:13 left on a layup by Jake Anderson.
Anderson played one of the more emotional games of his career, often talking and being more vocal than he's been this season.
"It was just a little trash talking," Anderson said, "just trying to find a way to motivate my team and try and find a way to get over that hump."
Patton said he was happy to see Anderson, who led the Huskies with 16 points, play that way and wants to see more of that from his team.
"We've got to play with that much fire before we get popped in the mouth," Patton said. "That's a lesson that we've got to learn."
But as soon as NIU tied it, Miami took the lead back and kept NIU consistently a possession behind.
With the score 67-65 in favor of Miami and 2:12 left, the RedHawks called a timeout. That's when NIU decided to go back to a zone defense.
It didn't work as Nick Winbush hit a three to give Miami a five-point lead.
"We had played man and the zone was good for us," Patton said. "When we made our run, we were in zone. I knew they would be patient and work the ball around on the offensive end and we just lost a guy at the head of the key and he nailed a three."
NIU will try and snap out of its six-game slide in its final crossover game on Wednesday at Bowling Green. The Huskies are 0-5 against the MAC East this season.
