DeKALB | Bowling Green head coach Louis Orr opened Wednesday night’s press conference with a prayer.

Perhaps it was to give thanks for NIU guard Xavier Silas missing a good look at a game-tying three in overtime. The Huskies lost 73-70 in front of a sparsely-attended Convocation Center.

NIU (7-13, 3-5 MAC) played from behind for the majority of the evening. The Huskies went on a tear in the dying minutes of the second half, culminating in a game-tying triple from Antone Christian with 15 seconds remaining.

“I’m just thankful to come away with a win on the road,” Orr said. “I know how tough Northern is. You aren’t going to out-score them, you have to defend them. [NIU head coach Ricardo] Patton does a great job of putting guys in position.”

Christian missed his first four shots from behind the arc on Wednesday, but had no doubts about letting a shot go in the dying seconds of regulation. The redshirt freshman finished with 15 points.

“As soon as it left my hand I knew it was going in,” Christian said. “It just reminds me that I have to take the opportunities I have when I get them.”

Backup quarterback on the NIU football team, DeMarcus Grady tallied his first points as a member of the NIU basketball team. The point guard sank a three-point shot five minutes into the second half. The junior would add a running layup on the very next possession. Grady finished his night with five points and one rebound in 15 minutes.

Coming off a poor shooting performance against Buffalo on Saturday, NIU came out looking for a hot start at home. For a second consecutive game, though, NIU couldn’t find its shooting touch. The Huskies fell behind by seven in the early going.

Silas kept the Huskies in the game, scoring 15 points on 3-of-6 shooting in the first half. Driving aggressively to the basket, Silas forced the Falcons’ hand throughout the first. The senior sank 7-of-8 free throws in the first. Bowling Green (11-11, 6-2 MAC) led the Huskies 33-28 at the half.

NIU sank only seven of its first half field goal attempts, while Bowling Green shot 41.8 percent in the first. The Falcons’ Scott Thomas led Bowling Green with nine points in the first half and finished the game with 23.

The Huskies quickly fell even further behind coming out of the locker room. Bowling Green held an eight-point lead a few minutes into the second half. NIU slowly started to gain steam as Christian and Silas started to hit their shots. Silas led the Huskies with 23 points.

“I try to contribute in any way I can,” Christian said. “Whether it’s cheering on the sideline or on the floor.”

Coming in the game with a short bench, Patton needed multiple guys to step up, but only Christian answered the call.

“We were looking for someone to come off the bench,” Patton said. “Other guys got opportunities tonight too, but I’m not sure they took advantage of those minutes tonight like Antone did.”