W. Michigan 66, N. Illinois 58

Feb 16, 2013, 08:23 pm

KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- Shayne Whittington scored 15 points and Western Michigan scored the last 16 points of the game to shock Northern Illinois 66-58 on Saturday.

Whittington grabbed nine rebounds, just missing a conference-leading ninth double-double of the season, for the Broncos (16-9, 8-4 Mid-American). Freshman Connar Tava added 12 points and Austin Richie had 11.

Aksel Bolin scored 10 points for the Huskies (5-19, 3-9), who lost their fifth in a row.

Northern Illinois led for most of the game and went ahead 58-50 on Kevin Gray's layup with 4:01 to play. But that was the last time the Huskies would score. David Brown scored seven points in the game-ending 16-0 run, and Richie's 3-pointer with 1:29 left put WMU ahead 60-58. Ritchie and Whittington added two free throws apiece in the final minute.

WMU now leads the all-time series 52-29 and has won the past eight meetings between the schools.