If Huskie basketball followers see NIU Coach Jim Rosborough walking the streets, he might be muttering something about finding his defense.

osborough had nothing but scathing remarks about the NIU men’s basketball team’s defensive performance in its 97-90 loss to Western Illinois in front of 2,732. The Huskies dropped to 5-12 on the season, while the Leathernecks improved to 9-3.

“I’m embarrassed tonight. We had a golden opportunity, but we let it slip through our fingers,” said Rosborough. “There will be some lineup changes next Wednesday. We’re going to put our five best defenders on the floor. These kids are getting about as fine a treatment as they can get, and I don’t think we’re getting a big enough return.”

NIU guard Rodney Davis said Monday the key for the Huskies would be to force WIU to play their style. But the opposite was true. The majority of the game was run-and-gun, with NIU eventually turning the ball over enough to be labeled as the Leathernecks’ Kris Kringle.

“We didn’t have our heads in the game,” said NIU forward Mike Grabner, who scored a career-high 23 points and pulled down 12 rebounds. “They are a running team, and that’s what they did. We didn’t get back on defense. They wanted it more than we did.”

“Coach Rosborough stresses defense, and we can’t seem to grasp his concepts,” said NIU center John Culbertson. “We mentally weren’t in it. I know I wasn’t in it at least.”

In the first half, NIU’s size advantage down low was not able to prevent Western Illinois from picking up plenty of offensive rebounds. Western also had some success penetrating the lane and getting some shots from close range.

“We just weren’t moving our feet,” said Grabner. “They’d penetrate and dump it off.”

“In our offensive scheme, the tighter they play the man, the easier we are able to score points,” said WIU Coach Jack Margenthaler.

Offensively, NIU scored inside the paint and from the perimeter. But the Huskies had problems handling Western’s press, often using most of the 10 seconds allotted to clear halfcourt even when using a three-guard lineup. When NIU did not commit one of its ten turnovers, it scored from the field on 56.3 percent shooting and 80 percent from the line.

The first half ended with Western on top 55-50. Grabner led the Huskies with 15 points. Western forward Mike Ayers topped the Leathernecks with 16 first-half points on his way to a game-high 28 points.

“Ayers had an outstanding night,” said Margenthaler. “With many of his shots, he had someone in his face.”

The fast break style returned in the second half, but both defenses did not allow as much easy penetration. Whenever NIU came close to taking the lead, however, the Leathernecks would force Huskie turnovers and balloon the lead back up. NIU did not allow as many second shots defensively, but Western’s defense did not permit NIU to go inside easily.

As the second half wore on, NIU wore down, with turnovers off Western’s defensive pressure. Western spread the ball around in the later stages and took available layups and outside shots to keep NIU honest.

Overall, NIU committed 19 turnovers while Western handed the ball over only seven times. Both teams finished the game with four players in double figures.