The unseasonable air temperature wasn’t the only thing heating up DeKalb last night. The Huskies (11-9) applied their own heat to Florida International and scorched the Panthers 84-52.

Florida International (4-16) was as cold as a DeKalb February usually is, shooting 40 percent and committing 35 turnovers.

“Maybe it was a long flight,” said NIU coach Jim Molinari about FI’s poor showing.

“We flew, but it looked like we walked,” responded FI coach Rich Walker.

NIU’s Andrew Wells celebrated his 22nd birthday in front of 1,229 spectators by scoring 19 points, his season-high. Donnell Thomas had game-highs with 24 points and 11 rebounds and the “D-Train is now the 9th leading Huskie scorer of all-time.

The win avenged a 70-67 Huskie loss to the Panthers earlier in the season and moved NIU’s season record to 11-9, matching the victory total of last year’s entire schedule.

Before tonight’s game, Molinari told his squad to look to the example of the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers. “(They) are never satisfied and everyone is accountable and unified. That’s what we’re building here. We’re going to build a family. It comes down to collective pride and that’s what we talk about everyday.

“I thought we played very strong defensively,” said Molinari about his teams effort. “I think our young men take pride in the fact that we’re 10th in the country in team defense and we really worked hard the last three days.”

The Huskies started out strongly, building a 7-0 lead before FI hit two three-pointers to cut into NIU’s lead. The Huskies used a 12-2 run at the end of the first half to pull ahead 35-23 at the intermission. The Panthers committed 16 turnovers and were out-rebounded 22-10 in the opening 20 minutes.

The second half was more of the same as the Huskies built a lead that reached 34 points.

Wells and Thomas scored eight-straight NIU points before Donald Whiteside’s three-pointer gave the Huskies a 54-30 lead five minutes into the half. A resounding slam-dunk by Wells late in the game pushed the Huskie lead to 30 and capped his season’s-best performance. “I hope Wells has a birthday every year on a game-day,” deadpanned Molinari.

Molinari cleared his bench to mop up the Huskies 9th win at the “Dog House” against one loss. NIU out-rebounded the Panthers 48-22 and outshot the visitors from Miami 55 percent to 40 percent.

Molinari probably wouldn’t mind having former Huskie Kenny Battle starting for his squad, but the Phoenix Suns forward will be busy this weekend competing in the NBA’s slam-dunk championship in Miami. Battle and Atlanta’s Dominique Wilkins were recently chosen to compete in the competition as replacements for injured players.

Before the game, Molinari announced that sophomore guard Bobby Smith had decided to leave the team and concentrate on academics. Smith, from Country Club Hills, had played in 11 games for the Huskies.