More than 4,100 fans turned out Thursday night to see a basketball game in Evans Field House, and a wrestling match broke out.
Northern Illinois pinned a 59-47 bump-and-grind loss on Eastern Illinois, which plays the same physical style that has NIU third in the nation in defense. ”I don`t think we can play any harder,” said Eastern coach Rick Samuels.
”It was a slugfest,” said NIU`s Donnell Thomas, who powered to a game-high 16 points. ”We do a lot of drills getting into people`s bodies. We`re used to that.”
In the first half, there were more collisions than baskets as Northern
(16-2, 7-1 in the Mid-Continent Conference) opened a 27-21 lead on just 32 percent shooting (8 for 25). Eastern shot only 8 for 24.
The second half was shaping up as a dandy when Eastern (9-8, 5-3) closed to 34-32 on Rod McKinnis` rebound basket. Then the Huskies put on one of their patented defensive stretches. Coach Jim Molinari inserted a bigger lineup in an effort to control the boards, and NIU responded with a 15-3 run in the next seven minutes for a 49-35 lead with 4:19 left.
”Northern`s defense doesn`t let you post up, it doesn`t let you set screens, it takes you out of your patterns,” said Samuels, whose club shot 31.4 percent (16 of 51).
The Huskies shut down point guard Gerald Jones, who was the conference`s player of the week last week with 55 points in two games, holding him to eight. Barry Johnson led the Panthers with 14.
