Ohio coach Tim O’Shea found himself in unfamiliar yet familiar territory last night.

Unfamiliar because his Bobcats hadn’t lost to a team from the MAC West in more than a year. Familiar because that West team was NIU.

Since the 2002-03 season, Ohio (10-3 overall, 4-1 MAC) had lost 3-of-4 games to the Huskies (9-5, 4-2). Make it 4-of-5 after NIU overcame a cold shooting night to take the win 64-59.

Coming into the game, the Bobcats were off to their best start in 20 years. The team was tied for the top spot in the MAC East and having won four in a row, Ohio’s average win was by 22 points.

But when both teams shoot 31 percent for the game, neither team is going to run away with a victory.

“We had a horrendous night shooting the ball,” O’Shea said. “It was just one of those nights when you can’t make a shot.”

Ohio’s leading scorer Leon Williams missed all eight of his shots. While NIU’s Mike McKinney and Anthony Maestranzi combined for a 1-for-13 shooting performance.

It seemed like only two playerscould fit the ball in the basket: Ohio’s Mychal Green and NIU’s Ben Rand.

Green lead all scorers with 25 points and kept the Bobcats on top for most of the game with his 4-of-7 shooting from behind the arch.

Rand didn’t score in the last 10 minutes, but the transfer from Iowa scored eight of NIU’s first 12 points and scored 19 overall. Senior Todd Peterson chipped in with 12 points.

But with both teams unable to score, the winner would be decided by who could play defense and make its free throws, O’Shea said.

And while both coaches were proud of their defense, NIU’s edge at the free throw line proved to be the margin of victory.

The Huskies made 28-of-36 from the charity stripe; five more than Ohio.

“We missed a lot of free throws,” O’Shea said.

“That’s something you have to do to win close games on the road,” he said.

The win was a good start to the Huskies three-game home stand and one that gives the team confidence for the rest of the season, Peterson said.