Shocked.

Disappointed.

Frozen.

NIU forward Marcus Smallwood and guard Todd Peterson layed motionless on the court expressing these feelings after a last-second heave by Smallwood ricocheted hard off the backboard, capping off an emotional 101-100 loss in double overtime Wednesday against visiting Akron.

“First of all, I was really proud of the way we responded after those first 34 minutes because we didn’t come out and play aggressive basketball,” Smallwood said. “That’s why it hurts so much, to see everyone give their heart and we just come up short. It just hurts.”

The loss ended the five-game win streak for NIU (9-9, 5-3 MAC).

Akron guard John Hollingsworth went the length of the court to hit a five-foot runner with 5.1 seconds left in the second overtime to put the Zips (8-9 overall 3-5 MAC) up 101-100. This was just seconds after NIU freshman guard Anthony Maestranzi got a friendly bounce on a three-pointer from the top of the key to send the Convocation Center into a short-lived frenzy.

Hollingsworth, a 6-foot-1 junior, finished with a career-high 31 points to go along with nine assists and five steals. He also sent the game into the second overtime with a layup, with 1.2 left on the clock.

Despite 24 offensive rebounds and shooting 50 percent from the floor, NIU couldn’t overcome Akron’s 54 percent shooting 21 more free-throw attempts and only nine turnovers.

“Statistically, 21 turnovers to their nine, we outrebound them 52-30,” NIU coach Rob Judson said. “It’s just amazing to me that a visiting team can shoot 55 free-throws when the home team’s playing a lot of zone. Of course, then we shoot 18-of-34 so if you look at those statistics, to lose a one-point basketball game, so many plays that could’ve gone the other way. “

Akron’s other starting guard Derrick Tarver, who leads the league in scoring (22.2 ppg), scored 24 points before fouling out with 2:36 left in the first overtime.

Down by 15 at one point, the game seemed over for the Huskies as they were down 70-60 with 1:44 left in regulation. But they began chipping away and eventually got the lead down to six with 57.4 seconds left.

Two free-throw misses by Akron and then an Al Sewasciuk free-throw followed by a Jay Bates steal and layup had the lead at three just seconds later.

Then, a long desperation three-pointer by Peterson from 25 feet away with :28.1 on the clock had NIU down one.

A few Hollingsworth free-throws later, the Zips held on to a three-point advantage. But a Sewasciuk three pointer and a defensive stop later the game went to overtime.

Smallwood achieved his sixth straight double-double with 19 points and 14 rebounds and led five Huskies in double-figures.

NIU was without center Bryson McKenzie who was suspended a game for violating team training policy.