NIU Today

Jordan Threloff

Redshirt senior center Jordan Threloff (DeKalb, Ill./DeKalb/Illinois State) scored a game-high 15 points with a game-best 10 rebounds as the NIU men’s basketball team cruised to a 71-44 exhibition victory over Roosevelt University on Saturday evening at the NIU Convocation Center.

Four Huskies scored in double figures as NIU raced out to a 17-0 lead and never looked back.

Redshirt junior wing Chuks Iroegbu (Elk Grove, Calif./Franklin/City College of San Francisco) added 12 points and sophomore guard Aaric Armstead (Chicago, Ill./La Jolla Prep) and redshirt senior guard Anthony Johnson (Chicago, Ill./Whitney Young/Purdue) each added 10 points in the victory.

“I thought in the first half we defended,” said NIU head coach Mark Montgomery. “We held them to eight points before they made a three right at the end (of the half). In the second half, give Roosevelt credit, they knocked down some shots. We were able to work on some things; this gives us a chance to look at film going against someone else.”

“I liked how we got to the basket, but I didn’t like that we missed so many layups. I liked how we got to the free-throw line, but I didn’t like that we missed so many free throws. It takes time, guys are still getting used to each other, but I do like that we had more assists than turnovers.”

NIU finished the contest with 15 assists on 26 field goals, led by a game-high seven assists, and no turnovers, for junior guard Travon Baker (Detroit, Mich./Detroit Consortium).

Aaric Armstead

The Huskies stormed out to an early 17-point advantage, holding Roosevelt scoreless in the opening 10:20 of the contest. NIU held the Lakers to just 14.3 percent (3-of-21) shooting in the opening half, including 2-of-12 (16.7 percent) from behind the three-point line, as the Huskies took a 30-11 lead into the break.

Aaric Armstead paced the Huskies with seven points in the opening 20 minutes, junior Darrell Bowie (Milwaukee, Wis./La Jolla Prep) added four points and seven rebounds in the opening half.

After the intermission, Roosevelt made its first five shots as the Lakers cut the NIU lead to 13, 39-26. The Huskies answered with the next nine as they pushed their advantage back to 22, 48-26, with 11:40 to play. Senior Aaron Armstead (Chicago, Ill./Hales Franciscan/San Jose City College) ignited the run with a triple, redshirt sophomore Michael Orris (Crete, Ill./Crete-Monee/Kansas State) added a layup, as did Threloff, and Aaron Armstead finished the run with a basket.

The NIU advantage reached as much as 30 as Aaron Armstead knocked down a pair of free throws with 3:17 left as the Huskies led 67-37.

NIU finished the contest with 44 points in the paint and 24 points off of Roosevelt’s 24 turnovers. The Huskies scored 17 second chance points on 23 offensive rebounds.

Joe Harks paced Roosevelt with 11 points; Jason Markus added eight points and a team-high six rebounds for the Lakers.

NIU will open the 2014-15 regular season Saturday, Nov. 15, as the Huskies host Aurora University. Game time against the Spartans is scheduled for 3 p.m.

For more information on NIU men’s basketball and Huskie athletics, visit www.niuhuskies.com.