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Underdog NIU has chance to chew up winning streak again
By Tom Gaffney
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Sunday, Feb 15, 2009
Northern Illinois ended a notable winning streak by the University of Akron last season.
Now the Huskies have a chance to do it again today at the Convocation Center in DeKalb, Ill.
The Zips (16-8, 7-3) have won seven consecutive games entering a Mid-American Conference matchup with NIU (6-16, 2-8).
The Huskies are the underdogs, but they also were last Feb. 12 when they came into Rhodes Arena and ended the Zips' 22-game home winning streak with an 88-78 upset.
''Everybody who was on the team last year — it is a bitter taste in our mouth,'' said junior forward Chris McKnight, who has reached double figures in 10 consecutive games. ''It shouldn't have happened. It still irks me just thinking about it, every time I hear Northern Illinois.''
In that game, the Huskies shot 64.6 percent from the floor, missing only 17 (31-of-48), with freshman guards Darion Anderson (24 points) and Michael Patton (22) leading the way.
UA came into that game with a 17-6 record and was 7-3 in the MAC, and NIU was 5-17 and 2-8.
Those records are similar to the ones by both teams this season, and the Huskies probably will be energized by taking Kent State into double overtime at home Tuesday night before losing 86-83.
The Zips, who are in a tie for second in the MAC East behind Buffalo, vow to be more prepared for the Huskies than last season.
''They are playing well right now. Even in a loss, in double overtime, that still gives you confidence,'' McKnight said. ''We have to come in there . . . and take that confidence away
right from the start.
''We can't let them take open shots. We can't let them get easy buckets. The more a team hangs around, the more confident they get.''
The Huskies have shown the ability to score, standing sixth in the MAC in points (65.3) and in shooting percentage (42.1). But NIU has not been able to stop opponents from scoring, being last in points allowed (71.7) and 11th in opponents' shooting percentage (44.7).
Anderson, a 6-foot-2 sophomore and 2008 MAC freshman of the year, leads the team in scoring at 16.3, which is fourth in the conference. However, he and teammate Jeremy Landers also were suspended for one game, a 69-61 home loss to Bowling Green on Jan. 31.
The Zips will counter with a team that stood 9-8, 1-3 slightly less than four weeks ago. But UA, using a 10-player rotation that includes three freshmen and three sophomores, has reversed its fortunes and has outscored its opponents by an average of 71-46 in the seven-game winning streak.
''We are a more confident team, no question about it,'' said Zips coach Keith Dambrot, whose team edged visiting Ball State 63-55 Wednesday in one of only two victories in the streak that weren't by double digits. ''We have a better idea of how to win.''
A victory today would give the Zips a 6-0 record against weaker MAC West foes.
The rest of the schedule includes five games with MAC East teams and an ESPNUBracketBusters game with Valparaiso at 8 p.m. Feb. 21.
Short takes
Senior Nate Linhart now has 891 points in his career in his bid to become the 37th player in the program's history to reach the 1,000-point mark. The Zips have at least eight games left. Linhart is leading the team in rebounding (6.1) and steals (1.7). . . . Junior Darryl Roberts continues to lead the MAC in free-throw shooting, making 55-of-57 for 96.5 percent. He is not on the NCAA list because he has not made the required 2.5 free throws per game. The MAC requires only two per game. . . . In NCAA statistics through Feb. 8, the Zips' points allowed total per game of 58.7 is 13th nationally. New statistics will be released Monday.
Tom Gaffney can be reached at tgaffney@thebeaconjournal.com.
Northern Illinois ended a notable winning streak by the University of Akron last season.
Get the full article here.
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