Freshman lead NIU to 5th straight win

Freshman guard Eugene German scored 12 points on 5-for-6 shooting. NIU defeated Miami University, 62-58, Tuesday.

By Tom Burton

DeKALB — Men’s basketball (12-6, 4-1 Mid-American Conference) extended its winning streak to four games after defeating the Miami University Redhawks (8-10, 1-4 MAC), 62-58, Tuesday night in a rematch from two weeks ago.

The Huskies fell to the Redhawks, 69-67, Jan. 3 in their first MAC game of the season.

“When you play a team that you just played [two] weeks ago, everyone knows everyone’s tendencies so sometimes that’s when you get an ugly game,” Head Coach Mark Montgomery said. “To me, it’s pretty, because we won and we’re moving on.”

The Huskies were led by freshman guard Eugene German, who tallied a team-high 12 points and went 5-for-6 from the field, helping the Huskies dominate in bench points, 28-6.

“I was just picking my spots and seeing what was open,” German said. “My team set me up to make plays and the coach let me run the offense.”

German said he did not want to take all of the credit, but said it was a team win and he played his role. Montgomery said he does not have a problem with giving his young guard the spotlight.

“I thought Eugene was the player of the game,” Montgomery said. “I told him at halftime that he brought [good] energy in the first half and he was solid in the second half.”

Montgomery said German should have received more minutes throughout the game and that he will have to find more minutes for him in the future.

This was a tough win for the Huskies against a MAC opponent and Montgomery said this was a grind-it-out win for his ball club.

“In general, our team has toughness,” Montgomery said. “You have to credit Miami because they have a lot of fight in them and are a talented basketball team.”

The Huskies will face another talented team in their next match against the University of Ohio Bobcats (11-5, 3-2 MAC).

“The more you win, the bigger target you become,” Montgomery said. “A lot of teams are looking up to us now so we have to keep winning and not get complacent or satisfied.”

The Huskies will face the University of Ohio Bobcats at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the Convocation Center in search of their fifth consecutive win.