ENTER TO WIN
NOTHING PARTIES LIKE A HUSKY!
Let’s be social!
SPECIALS Fireball 750 mL -$13.99
Southern Comfort 750 mL -$14.99 Svedka (All Flavors) 750 mL -$9.99 Evan Williams 750 mL -$12.99 Pabst 24 Cans -$9.99
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Online
Website: NorthernStar.info Twitter: @NSSports Email: Sports@NorthernStar.info
March 19th 7PM @ Syc Store
Tito’s 1.75L -$29.99 Livingston Wines All 1.5L -$5.99 Bud, Miller & Coors 24pk Cans -$14.99 Hennessey V.S. 750 mL -$29.99 (DeKalb Only) Ciroc (All Flavors) 750 mL -$29.99 (DeKalb Only)
Women’s basketball
Senior guard Amanda Corral’s record-setting day couldn’t lift NIU past Toledo. Page 10.
Wrestling
Tyler Argue and Derek Elmore reflect on their time at NIU before Senior Night. Page 11.
Consistent defense imperative for men’s basketball’s success
Busch 30pks -$12.99
Mark your calendar! Scotch Seminar
Sports
Steve Shonder Columnist T @NSSportsShonder
With the MAC Tournament approaching, it’s time men’s basketball finds some consistency, especially on the defensive end. Despite their 4-9 record in MAC play, the Huskies are far from the team their record shows. NIU’s success or lack thereof has stemmed from its defense. Opposing teams are shooting 44 percent, up from 40.7 percent last year, and they’re scoring more. Some of this has come from a larger emphasis on offense this season,
but the results aren’t there. The Huskies have to get back to being defensive minded; that’s been the road to success for them during the Mark Montgomery era. When they allow 70-plus points, they’re 0-32. It was a story of two halves Wednesday against the Central Michigan Chippewas. The Chippewas ran out and scored 40 points in the first half behind some hot 3-point shooting. The Huskies could shrug this off since teams aren’t going to shoot that well from beyond the arc every game, but the way Central Michigan was finding its shooters is a concern. In the first half the Chippewas worked the ball inside, let four defenders converge on the ball handler and then kicked it to the open man on the perimeter. It’s a strategy a lot
6 Bedroom, 5 Bathroom House for Fall Two Large Living Rooms!
STAR APARTMENTS 801 Lucinda Ave. 815.758.5000
Recap
Check out a recap of men’s basketball’s Wednesday loss to the Central Michigan Chippewas online at bit.ly/1CLCCGC. of teams have tried to varied success, but it’s the sort of thing the Huskies can expect to see deployed against them in the MAC Tournament. Another strategy NIU can expect to see used against it is teams actively trying to get to the free-throw line. Fouls have been the savior and killer for the Huskies. When they outfoul opponents they’re 0-12. When NIU draws more fouls it’s 10-1. The difference is huge, and NIU knows it.
Read Men’s hoops | Page 10
Follow Northern Star Sports on Twitter at @NSSports.