It was one of those record-breaking days for Sean Kowal and the NIU men’s basketball team in its 93-81 win over Chicago State.

Coming into the game, Kowal knew his team had an advantage in the post, but he didn’t know how big that advantage would be. The Colorado native ended the game with career highs in scoring (23), rebounds (12) and recorded the first double-double of his career.

“The scouting report said they weren’t as strong as we were in the paint, and we had been working on post feeds in practice,” Kowal said of the team’s 58 points scored from in the paint. “The guys did a great job getting me the ball, and with 27 assists, it’s not just one guy with the assists. It was a great team win.”

Kowal dominated at the post going 10-15 from the field. Most of his points came on ideal passes from freshman Mike DiNunno, who recorded nine assists against the Cougars. Kowal had three assists of his own.

“Mike and Kowal apparently made some nice eye contact, and [Mike] threw it up and Kowal was able to complete the play,” said NIU head coach Ricardo Patton of the pair. “But I think all the guys did a good job of getting the ball inside to Sean. If we thought, going into the game, that we had any advantage, that was the only position we thought we had an advantage at.”

Coming into the weekend’s game, Kowal averaged 10.4 points per game, and led his team along with the MAC in shooting percentage, hitting 59.7 percent of his shots. During the match-up with the Cougars, Kowal hit 66 percent of his shots and became the third Huskie to reach 100 points this season. He now sits with 106 points next to his name.

“In the scouting report we saw that we had an advantage at the post,” DiNunno said. “I just made it a point to focus more on where Sean was this game. I just threw a couple [alley]-oops to him and got the highlight-reel plays, but the whole team did a great job looking for Sean and getting him at the post.”

Along with Kowal’s new career highs, fellow captain Darion ‘Jake’ Anderson recorded a team and career high 32 points, along with tallying his 100th career assist. The sophomore guard broke 500 points for his career, while junior Najul Ervin scored a career high with 10 points against the Cougars. Ervin also reached 100 career rebounds in the contest.

The Huskies’ 93 points are a team high while under Patton. The last time NIU scored over 90 points was back in February of the 2005-2006 season against Eastern Michigan when they scored 94.

Anderson’s 32 points are also an individual high under Patton. It is the first time since 2004-2005 that a player scored 30 or more points.