Akron and Cleveland, Ohio may not be the garden spots of the world, but it would not be surprising if NIU’s men’s basketball coach Jim Molinari starts scheduling more games in the Buckeye State. Something about being in Ohio seems to inspire the Huskies to play great defense.

Two days after holding the Akron Zips to 30 points, the Huskies shut down Cleveland State 59-44 Monday night to earn an NIU-record seventh straight road victory.

The win puts the Huskies at 15-2, 6-1 in the Mid-Continent Conference while Cleveland State drops to 9-10 overall. CSU dropped their third straight conference game to fall to 5-3.

“I’m really proud of our young men,” Molinari said. “We didn’t play great offense but we played well when it counted.” Andrew Wells provided NIU with almost all the offense that the Huskies would need with 21 points, his season high.

NIU led for almost the entire game. The Vikings had a 10-8 advantage before the Huskies took the lead for good on a Mike Hidden basket. Donnell Thomas and Wells controlled the rest of the half for NIU, scoring the Huskies final 15 points of the opening period for a 29-21 halftime lead.

Cleveland State came back to cut the Huskies’ lead to 29-26 early in the second half but Thomas nailed two straight baskets followed by Mike Hidden and Donald Whiteside jumpers to put NIU back in control of the game.

The Huskies lengthened their lead through the rest of the half, building their biggest advantage of the game, 15 points, at the final buzzer.

The Huskies out-rebounded the Vikings, who came into the contest leading the M-C in rebounding, by a 35-28 margin.

Donnell Thomas, who didn’t start for the Huskies, came off the ench to add 17 points. Whiteside added nine and Hidden eight for NIU.

“Andrew Wells and Donnell Thomas had terrific games,” Molinari said. “(Cleveland State) did a good job with their athletic abilities, but our defense is what’s the key.”

That defense is what has been largely responsible for NIU’s record-establishing seven consecutive victories away from the friendly confines of Chick Evans Field House. The previous record was set in 1972 when the Huskies finished 21-4.

That 1972 squad holds the NIU record for most victories in a season, a mark this season’s Huskies are threatening to break.

“We have tied a lot of records,” Molinari said. “(And) team records are the things that stand a long time. I’m really excited for our young men and our program.”

The Huskies return home for a Thursday match against Mid-Continent rival Eastern Illinois Thursday at 8 p.m. in the second half of “Big Thursday,” a NIU men’s and women’s basketball doubleheader.