Northern Illinois keeps Marcus Keene in check, beats CMU

Feb 21, 2017, 09:08 pm

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. -- Levi Bradley scored 18 points, Marin Maric had 16 points and nine rebounds, and Northern Illinois snapped a four-game losing streak with an 89-66 victory over Central Michigan on Tuesday night.

Eugene German also scored 16 points, Jaylen Key added 12 and Dontel Highsmith 10 for Northern Illinois (15-13, 7-8 Mid-American), which scored the first four points and led throughout.

Northern Illinois had three players score in double figures in the first half en route to a 46-30 lead. Bradley scored 11, and German and Key each added 10 points.

Marcus Keene, the nation's scoring leader at 30.2 points per game, missed his first eight shots from the field for Central Michigan (16-12, 6-9) and he was just 2-of-11 shooting in the first half for nine points. The Chippewas only made 8 of 30 field goals (26.7 percent) in the first half and finished at 35.8 percent in their fourth straight loss.

Keene finished with 18 points, Braylon Rayson hit two 3-pointers to become CMU's career leader in made 3s with 257, and Cecil Williams tied a career high with 15 points.