ATHENS, Ohio -- Redshirt sophomore Jaaron Simmons had 24 points and 12 assists and freshman Jordan Dartis added 17 points as Ohio defeated Northern Illinois 80-69 on Saturday.

Ohio shot 54 percent, making 30 of 56 field goal attempts against Northern Illinois, which came in ranked 15th nationally in field-goal percentage defense, holding opponents to an average of 39-percent shooting.

Treg Setty added 12 points and Antonio Campbell 11 for the Bobcats (14-8, 5-5 Mid-American).

Aaric Armstead and Levi Bradley scored 15 points apiece to lead Northern Illinois (16-7, 5-5). Armstead added 10 rebounds, and Marin Maric pitched in 11 points and 10 boards.

Ohio used a 10-2 run to break open a two-point game into a 49-33 lead at halftime.

Northern Illinois battled back to take a 67-66 lead with 3:42 left but Simmons and Dartis hit back-to-back 3-pointers and the Huskies only made one field goal in the final three minutes.