In a game that featured 14 blocked shots, it’s the last one that will be remembered.

NIU’s Antwon Harmon extended his 6-7 frame, put out an outstretched arm and spiked a last-second Western Illinois shot, and in the process, spiked WIU’s bid for an upset.

On a night when the basketball game at Chick Evans Field House at times resembled a football game, with bloody noses and fallen bodies littering the hardwood, the Huskies escaped with their 18th victory against two losses, 59-57.

NIU held its two-point margin thanks to Donnell Thomas hitting three of four free throws in the final minute of the game, the last of which danced around the rim before dropping through.

But WIU got the ball back with 16 seconds left. The Leathernecks had a chance for a tie when Preston Lewis grabbed an offensive rebound and went up for a shot near the top of the key, only to be snuffed by Harmon.

“I just put my hand on the ball and swatted it away,” Harmon said. “I was thinking we had to get this game.”

The ending of the contest, which NIU trailed in for long stretches, left Thomas almost speechless. “I don’t have any words to describe it. It was a great team effort,” the senior forward said after finding the appropriate words.

“I really felt strongly that Antwon would be involved in the last play,” NIU coach Jim Molinari said. “Antwon is a winner. (During) that last second, we had five red (Huskies) in there fighting. There is no better game than college basketball, and tonight proved that.”

NIU, having played three games in five nights, had to battle fatigue as well as the upset-minded Leathernecks (10-11, 3-7) to pull out the come-from-behind win for its ninth Mid-Continent Conference win against one loss.

But from the pre-game introductions, when the NIU coach was introduced as Jack Molinari, until the final minutes, nothing seemed to be going right for the Huskies.

NIU trailed 34-31 after a half of uncharacteristically ragged basketball. The Huskies committed 11 turnovers and hit only five of 11 free throws in the opening half while WIU’s Ron Ateman ate up NIU for 15 points.

“Tonight, the signs of fatigue showed,” Thomas said. “We are spent, we have nothing left.”

The lone bright spot in the half for the Huskies came with 6:27 remaining when Donald Whiteside hit a 3-point bomb to move past the 1,000 point mark in his stellar career.

Thomas, who overcame four fouls to tally a team-high 17 points and 15 rebounds, and Andrew Wells, who chipped in 12 points and added seven blocked shots, joined Harmon in leading the Huskies’ comeback.

“Last year was a growing process,” Harmon said. “This year we have senior leadership and it’s time to make the plays.”

Most of those plays have come on defense, including Monday when the Huskies held WIU to 23 percent shooting in the second half, as the star of the game can attest to.

“Offense wins games,” Harmon said, “and defense wins championships.”