<span style=

“font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;”>Xavier Silas

dropped a Convocation Center record 40 points for the NIU men’s

basketball team in an 80-78 comeback win over Illinois-Chicago on

Tuesday night.

<span style=

“font-family: Times New Roman;”>The Huskies (3-4) played catch-up

for the majority of the evening, starting the game off in a 15-2

hole. Using a 13-0 run in the second half, NIU turned a four point

deficit into a nine point lead with 5:10 left in

regulation.

<span style=

“font-family: Times New Roman;”>Setting a career high for the third

time this season, Silas’s night didn’t start as hot as it

ended.

<span style=

“font-family: Times New Roman;”>The only reliable place on the

floor for Silas in the first half was the free throw line. Shooting

1-of-8 from the field, he couldn’t find the bottom of the net until

he came to the line where he converted all 10 of his first half

free throw attempts.

<span style=

“font-family: Times New Roman;”>“First I was shooting a lot of

jumpers and they weren’t falling,” Silas said. “They weren’t

fouling in the first half but I still got to the line. It was okay

because I was still getting to the line, and I was seeing the ball

go in and that always helps me a lot.”

<span style=

“font-family: Times New Roman;”>Shots from the field started to

fall fast and furious for the senior in the second half, sinking

8-of-10 field goal attempts.

<span style=

“font-family: Times New Roman;”>A<span style=

“font-size: small;”><span style=

“font-family: Times New Roman;”>veraging 28.29 points a game, Silas

now leads the nation in scoring after passing UCONN’s Kemba Walker

(28.12) on Tuesday evening.

<span style=

“font-family: Times New Roman;”>Deciding the game late, NIU sank

24-of-30 second half free throw attempts to seal the win over the

Flames. On the night, Silas converted 22-of-24 free throws; setting

a Convocation Center record for free throws made.

<span style=

“font-family: Times New Roman;”>Coming into the game, UIC (4-7) had

recorded more rebounds against all but two of its opponents this

season. Realizing that rebounds may decide the outcome of the game,

NIU head coach Ricardo Patton stressed being strong on the boards

to his team. On the night, NIU out rebounded the Flames

39-34.

<span style=

“font-family: Times New Roman;”>“Defensively, we couldn’t afford to

give them second-chance opportunities,” Patton said. “We could not

afford to be outrebounded by them. We didn’t want to get dominated

on the glass, because their posts were bigger than

ours.”

<span style=

“font-family: Times New Roman;”>With backup-point guard Kyree Jones

still battling an injury, the Huskies found themselves

experimenting at the position when starting-point guard Bryan Hall

was off the floor. Michael Patton initially handled the duties, but

quickly received the hook after turning the ball over twice in

three minutes.

<span style=

“font-family: Times New Roman;”>Patton turned to Silas to take the

ball up the court in the second half. Silas ran the offense

sparingly in the second half while the Huskies were trying to keep

the Flames at an arms length.

<span style=

“font-family: Times New Roman;”>“I thought [Xavier] did a nice job

running the team,” Patton said. “He didn’t over handle the

basketball. You know if you look at teams like the NBA’s Los

Angeles Lakers, sometimes Kobe [Bryant] runs the point. I just

thought we needed to try that here with Xavier.”

<span style=

“font-family: Times New Roman;”>Playing in place of Silas at

shooting guard, Tony Nixon had eight points on 1-of-5 shooting in

23 minutes.

<span style=

“font-family: Times New Roman;”>“Putting Xavier at the point, it

allowed us to put another shooter out on the floor,” Patton said.

“That really helped us to be able to put Tony Nixon out on the wing

with Xavier on the point.”

<span style=

“font-family: Times New Roman;”>With the exception of an 80-51 loss

to Boise State on Nov. 29, Patton has liked the effort his team has

put fourth this season.

<span style=

“font-family: Times New Roman;”>“We knew going in that UIC is a

well coached team and they put us behind in the first half,” Patton

said. “But I think it showed a lot of resiliency to come back in

the second half to battle back and get the lead.”

<span style=

“font-family: Times New Roman;”>*Note After the game, an

undisclosed member of the UIC coaching staff collapsed in the

locker room. After being carried out on a stretcher, the condition

of the coach had not been revealed as of press

time.

<span style=

“font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;”> 

<span style=

“font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;”>