Without the services of its leading scorer and rebounder, NIU gave Central Michigan its first conference win of the season, 83-74, Monday night in Mt. Pleasant.

For NIU (7-14 overall, 2-9 MAC), senior forward Marcus Smallwood did not made the trip to Central Michigan for undisclosed reasons.

“It was a coaching decision based on team and individual concerns,” NIU coach Rob Judson said in a release prior to the CMU game.

Smallwood is not expected to play in the second and last game of this road trip on Wednesday at Toledo.

In the game itself, Central Michigan (4-18, 1-10) was led by Tony Bowne.

Bowne scored 19 points including, two three-point plays with under four minutes left to clinch the victory for the Chippewas. NIU did not score in the final 2:39.

Foul trouble plagued NIU early in the game, putting Central Michigan in the bonus at the 16:08 mark of the first half. Starters Perry Smith, Rome Sanders and James Hughes all sat early in the first half with foul trouble.

Without the services of the starters, NIU managed to hold a 43-38 halftime lead.

“I really thought we had excellent chemistry tonight,” NIU coach Rob Judson said. “We had excellent energy.”

NIU shot 18-of-34 from the free-throw line and made 8-of-21 three-point shots.

The Huskies also committed 20 turnovers.

Central Michigan outscored NIU 45-31 in the second half.

“In the second half they made their threes and we missed our threes, and they hit their free throws and we missed our free throws,” Judson said. “They made shots against our man and our zone.”

Anthony Maestranzi and Paige Paulsen both had career-highs with 19 and 14 points respectively for NIU.

“I thought our young guys played well,” Judson said. “We’ll keep trying to build.”