NIU gave up an early 16-6 lead as Buffalo ran past the Huskies to a 85-73 men’s basketball win in front of 3,152 people Sunday afternoon at the Convocation Center.

On paper, it looked like a Huskies win waiting to happen. NIU was undefeated at home (6-0) coming into the game, and Buffalo hadn’t won a road MAC game in its last 19 tries and was on a six-game losing streak overall.

“In our first two years, we would work every day to improve every game, but this year we haven’t seen any results,” third-year NIU coach Rob Judson said. “We are having a hard time right now.”

In a stretch that took 4:38 into the first half, Buffalo used a 20-4 run to take a 26-20 lead and never gave up the lead.

“The energy level just dropped,” said NIU freshman Mike McKinney, who had six points, seven rebounds and four assists. “They started pressuring us on D and playing hard.”

The Huskies (7-11 overall, 2-6 MAC) were led by Perry Smith with 16 points. Marcus Smallwood and Anthony Maestranzi added 12 and 10 points, respectively.

Buffalo (6-9, 2-5) had six players in double figures, including its starting five. Starting guard Roderick Middleton, a Chicago-area native (Marian Catholic High School), was held scoreless in the first half, but finished with 13 points, four assists and three steals.

“It’s like a weight has been lifted off our shoulders,” Middleton said. “It is kind of ironic, with the loss last year when NIU beat us in the playoffs to end our season, and now this. It feels like it is the start of our season.”

The Bulls remembered the 81-64 loss they suffered in the first round of the MAC tournament last season at the Convocation Center.

“The loss lingers with you all summer, and it’s been a while since a road conference win and it’s a new life for us,” Buffalo coach Reggie Witherspoon said.

While Buffalo now has a starting block to try to generate something for its season, NIU still is trying to find itself.

“We didn’t perform in any statistical category that would’ve allowed us to be successful,” Judson said.

NIU lost the free-throw battle, shooting 58.3 percent for the game, including 54.5 percent in the second half. While NIU attempted to make a comeback in the second half, it went on a 2:17 stretch where it missed six straight free throws.

The tight man-to-man defense Buffalo applied also gave NIU troubles, Judson said. While the Bulls rarely left any NIU three-point shooters open to double-team the post, the Huskies attempted only six three-point shots (1-of-6) in the second half.

“They were playing very tight one-on-one toward the end,” Judson said. “Teams usually play us differently and help in the post.”