2008 Woodie Awards
Men's basketball beats Northern Illinois 83-71 in opening round of MAC Tournament
Central plays Akron Thursday
By: Tim Ottusch
Issue date: 3/12/08 Section: Sports
CLEVELAND - Ernie Zeigler said his team could have easily folded after Sunday's senior night overtime loss to Toledo.
Instead, the Central Michigan men's basketball team led from the outset Wednesday and beat Northern Illinois 83-71 in the first round of the Mid-American Conference at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.
"I'm really proud of the fact that our guys responded to a very heartbreaking loss on senior day," Zeigler said.
Zeigler pointed to senior guard Giordon Watson when talking about how proud he was of the team's turnaround.
Watson missed two free throws in the waning seconds Sunday that could have given CMU the win. Instead, the 74.6 percent free throw shooter missed both and the team went on to lose in overtime.
On Wednesday, he led CMU with 20 points and was 5-of-7 from the 3-point line.
Watson said Sunday's loss might have done the team some good.
"It was a heart breaking loss (on Sunday)," he said. "But I think the loss might have benefited us actually because we got a chance to revaluate ourselves. If we come in and win that game maybe we're feeling good about a lot of things and a lot of things get overlooked that happened over the course of the game."
Central shot 12-of-23 from 3-point territory, making eight in the first half.
"I know we got good shooters," Watson said. "When you got good shooters they tend to make shots."
Unlike Sunday's game, Central started the game strong. Led by sophomore guard Jordan Bitzer and Watson, the team got out to an early seven-point lead in the game's first four minutes.
After a back and forth stretch, CMU went on a 9-2 run to go up 21-11. The teams would go back and forth for much of the rest of the first half. CMU led 37-30 at the break.
In the second half, sophomore forward Marko Spica hit a jumper and gave Central a game-high 15-point lead with 16:43 remaining. NIU followed with a 8-2 run but CMU answered once again.
Sophomore guard Robbie Harman hit two 3-pointers and sparked a 12-0 run, which put CMU ahead by 20 with 10:33 left.
Harman finished the game with 16 points, two shy of his season high of 18.
"I just try to pick my spots and hit shots when I'm open," Harman said.
NIU mounted one final run with a little under four minutes remaining. The Huskies went on a 16-4 run and came within nine with 1:10 remaining.
However, CMU hit all six of its free throws in the final minute to hold on for the win.
Spica finished the game with 13 points while Bitzer and junior Chris Kellermann each had 11.
Junior forward Nate Minnoy did not make the trip because of disciplinary reasons.
No. 6-seeded CMU (14-16) will play No. 3 Akron at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday in Cleveland.
sports@cm-life.com
Instead, the Central Michigan men's basketball team led from the outset Wednesday and beat Northern Illinois 83-71 in the first round of the Mid-American Conference at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.
"I'm really proud of the fact that our guys responded to a very heartbreaking loss on senior day," Zeigler said.
Zeigler pointed to senior guard Giordon Watson when talking about how proud he was of the team's turnaround.
Watson missed two free throws in the waning seconds Sunday that could have given CMU the win. Instead, the 74.6 percent free throw shooter missed both and the team went on to lose in overtime.
On Wednesday, he led CMU with 20 points and was 5-of-7 from the 3-point line.
Watson said Sunday's loss might have done the team some good.
"It was a heart breaking loss (on Sunday)," he said. "But I think the loss might have benefited us actually because we got a chance to revaluate ourselves. If we come in and win that game maybe we're feeling good about a lot of things and a lot of things get overlooked that happened over the course of the game."
Central shot 12-of-23 from 3-point territory, making eight in the first half.
"I know we got good shooters," Watson said. "When you got good shooters they tend to make shots."
Unlike Sunday's game, Central started the game strong. Led by sophomore guard Jordan Bitzer and Watson, the team got out to an early seven-point lead in the game's first four minutes.
After a back and forth stretch, CMU went on a 9-2 run to go up 21-11. The teams would go back and forth for much of the rest of the first half. CMU led 37-30 at the break.
In the second half, sophomore forward Marko Spica hit a jumper and gave Central a game-high 15-point lead with 16:43 remaining. NIU followed with a 8-2 run but CMU answered once again.
Sophomore guard Robbie Harman hit two 3-pointers and sparked a 12-0 run, which put CMU ahead by 20 with 10:33 left.
Harman finished the game with 16 points, two shy of his season high of 18.
"I just try to pick my spots and hit shots when I'm open," Harman said.
NIU mounted one final run with a little under four minutes remaining. The Huskies went on a 16-4 run and came within nine with 1:10 remaining.
However, CMU hit all six of its free throws in the final minute to hold on for the win.
Spica finished the game with 13 points while Bitzer and junior Chris Kellermann each had 11.
Junior forward Nate Minnoy did not make the trip because of disciplinary reasons.
No. 6-seeded CMU (14-16) will play No. 3 Akron at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday in Cleveland.
sports@cm-life.com
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