Champaign — Thomas Hammock couldn’t help but to feel bad for the defense.

The Huskies’ defense did everything it could to stay in the game in Saturday’s 17-12 loss to the Illini, holding the running game to 102 yards and forcing the Illini to punt nine times.

Hammock said it was too many three-and-out drives that killed the Huskies.

“We can’t afford to do that every week,” Hammock said. “We got into the red-zone a couple of times and we couldn’t capitalize on it. I just feel really bad for the defense. They did a great job getting up to the ball.”

“This [Illinois] team is so balanced,” said NIU coach Joe Novak. “Our kids hung in there and they have played better and better.”

Novak was pleased with the defensive effort he saw Saturday, especially in sophomore safeties Akil Grant and Lionel Hickenbottom, who led the team in tackles with 10 apiece.

The Huskies lost Buster Sampson and Jermaine Hampton to graduation this season and the secondary was looked at as a weak point.

But the emergence of Grant and Hickenbottom is starting to erase the doubts.

“They are two outstanding players,” Novak said. “They are just going to get better.”

But effort will not please Hickenbottom, who dreamt of playing his best against a Big Ten team.

The sophomore free safety put the hurt on the Illini offense, coming up with big hits and drive-stopping tackles.

On one play, Illinois tailback Rocky Harvey shifted directions and had one man to beat for a touchdown, only to have Hickenbottom stop him and the Illini’s potential scoring drive.

“All week, I visualized playing the game of my life against a Big Ten team,” he said. “It really hurt not to win after this effort, but now we know anybody who plays us will have to pay the price.”