Men’s basketball (16-7, 5-5 MAC) fell to Ohio University (14-8, 5-5 MAC) 80-69 despite a great second half effort Saturday in Athens, Ohio.

Ohio came out of the gates on fire, shooting 60.6 percent (20-33) in the first half, while the Huskies struggled to score and shot just 35.7 percent (10-28) in the period.

The Bobcats went on a 13-3 run with 6:21 left to play in the first half and led NIU 31-19. The Bobcats extended their lead to 40-25 with less than three minutes to play before the break, shooting 53.8 percent (7-13) from three.

NIU went on a 10-0 run to start the second half and pulled within two points with 11:57 to play in the game. The team shot 55.6 percent in the second half, holding Ohio to just 43.5 percent (10-23). The Bobcats led at the intermission 49-33.

NIU led 63-59 with just more than seven minutes to play as freshman wing Levi Bradley scored seven points in a row. Ohio trimmed the lead to 65-64 with less than four minutes remaining. The Bobcats hit back-to-back triples after a basket by junior guard Aaric Armstead, taking a 72-67 lead with 2:51 left. A layup by senior guard Travon Baker pulled the Huskies within four, but it wasn’t enough to pull off the comeback.

NIU shot 45.5 percent from the field for the game and Ohio shot 53.6 percent (30-56).

Sophomore guard Jaaron Simmons, last week’s MAC East Player of the Week, led the Bobcats with 24 points and 12 assists.

Armstead and Bradley led the Huskies with 15 points apiece. Armstead recorded his second double-double of the season. Baker also chipped in 10 points and dropped five assists for the visitors.

The Bobcats dished out 16 assists, 12 by Simmons, to the Huskies’ nine. NIU’s bench outscored Ohio’s bench 29-7.

“Ohio came out smoking, they shot unbelievable [in the first half],” said head coach Mark Montgomery, according to an NIU Athletics news release. “Their start, 60 percent [shooting] in the first half, I don’t think we have defended that poorly all season, but credit their guys, they were making plays.”