Central Michigan University Athletics
Spica Leads Chippewas Past Huskies, 80-73
3/1/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
DeKALB, Ill. Marko Spica’s career-high 19 points in just 12 minutes pushed Central Michigan past Northern Illinois on Saturday afternoon in the Convocation Center.
The sophomore had a near-perfect shooting performance going 6-for-7 from the floor and 7-for-7 from the line.
“Marko is a very gifted offensive player,” coach Ernie Zeigler said. “When we were struggling, we went to him. He gave extra effort and created good angles for his shots.”
CMU’s road win evened the Chippewas’ Mid-American Conference record at 7-7 with two games left in the regular season.
Giordan Watson added 18 points and broke CMU’s career steals records with a pair of swipes. He now has 197 steals in his career, surpassing Melvin McLauglin’s mark of 196.
The game was slowed by 53 fouls and 79 free throw attempts. Central didn’t get to the line as many times as the home team but CMU shot its freebies at a 79 percent clip compared to NIU’s 65 percent. The Chippewas were 26-for-33 while NIU was 30-for-46.
MAC Freshman of the Year Candidate Darion Anderson led the Huskies with game highs of 23 points and 11 rebounds.
Hosting senior night, NIU opened the game with a 5-0 lead but Chris Kellermann hit a pair of three-pointers to cap a 10-1 run for the Chippewas. Neither team led by more than six in the first half and the Chippewas never trailed after Spica hit a jumper to give the Chippewas a 21-20 lead with 4:36 remaining before the break.
Central took a 32-29 lead into the locker room at the half and the Chippewas used 54 percent shooting from the floor in the second frame to pull away. The visitors led by as many as 14 in the second but NIU cut it to a six-point game, 77-71, with just under a minute left.
Jeremy Allen added 13 points and five rebounds while Kellermann and Nate Minnoy had eight points each. Marcus Van pulled down a team-high six rebounds.
CMU returns home to host its final two games of the regular season next week, beginning with rival Western Michigan on Tuesday, March 4. Tipoff in Rose Arena is set for 7 p.m., and the game will be televised on Comcast Television Channel 900.
NOTES:
Marko Spica tallied a career-high 19 points against the Huskies. His previous high was 18 on two occasions, and both those games also came in the state of Illinois at Northern Illinois and at Illinois-Chicago last year.
Giordan Watson now holds the CMU career records for assists (466), steals (197) and three-pointers made (190).
CMU improved to 4-0 against Northern Illinois under head coach Ernie Zeigler.
Marko Spica has led CMU in scoring twice this season and five times in his career.
Giordan Watson’s 52 steals this season now tie for fifth on CMU’s single-season chart with Dan Roundfield’s 1974 total.
The Chippewas forced 22 turnovers. CMU is 9-2 this season when forcing 20 or more by the opponent.
The Chippewas used their 17th different starting lineup of the season Giordan Watson, Jordan Bitzer, Jeremy Allen, Chris Kellermann and Marcus Van.
CMU needs to win one of its final two games for a .500 record in MAC play. It would mark CMU’s first .500 MAC season since the championship year of 2003 (14-4).
With three more steals, Giordan Watson will become the only active NCAA Division I player with 1,500 points, 400 assists and 200 steals. Virginia’s Sean Singletary is also close, entering the weekend with 1,899 points, 532 assists and 187 steals.
Giordan Watson needs one three-pointer to move into CMU’s single season top 10.
Saturday’s game marked the 11th time this season that a player has come off the bench to lead CMU in scoring, including three of the last four games.
Marko Spica’s 7-for-7 performance from the line marked the most free throw makes in a game this season by a Chippewa without a miss.
The sophomore had a near-perfect shooting performance going 6-for-7 from the floor and 7-for-7 from the line.
“Marko is a very gifted offensive player,” coach Ernie Zeigler said. “When we were struggling, we went to him. He gave extra effort and created good angles for his shots.”
CMU’s road win evened the Chippewas’ Mid-American Conference record at 7-7 with two games left in the regular season.
Giordan Watson added 18 points and broke CMU’s career steals records with a pair of swipes. He now has 197 steals in his career, surpassing Melvin McLauglin’s mark of 196.
The game was slowed by 53 fouls and 79 free throw attempts. Central didn’t get to the line as many times as the home team but CMU shot its freebies at a 79 percent clip compared to NIU’s 65 percent. The Chippewas were 26-for-33 while NIU was 30-for-46.
MAC Freshman of the Year Candidate Darion Anderson led the Huskies with game highs of 23 points and 11 rebounds.
Hosting senior night, NIU opened the game with a 5-0 lead but Chris Kellermann hit a pair of three-pointers to cap a 10-1 run for the Chippewas. Neither team led by more than six in the first half and the Chippewas never trailed after Spica hit a jumper to give the Chippewas a 21-20 lead with 4:36 remaining before the break.
Central took a 32-29 lead into the locker room at the half and the Chippewas used 54 percent shooting from the floor in the second frame to pull away. The visitors led by as many as 14 in the second but NIU cut it to a six-point game, 77-71, with just under a minute left.
Jeremy Allen added 13 points and five rebounds while Kellermann and Nate Minnoy had eight points each. Marcus Van pulled down a team-high six rebounds.
CMU returns home to host its final two games of the regular season next week, beginning with rival Western Michigan on Tuesday, March 4. Tipoff in Rose Arena is set for 7 p.m., and the game will be televised on Comcast Television Channel 900.
NOTES:
Marko Spica tallied a career-high 19 points against the Huskies. His previous high was 18 on two occasions, and both those games also came in the state of Illinois at Northern Illinois and at Illinois-Chicago last year.
Giordan Watson now holds the CMU career records for assists (466), steals (197) and three-pointers made (190).
CMU improved to 4-0 against Northern Illinois under head coach Ernie Zeigler.
Marko Spica has led CMU in scoring twice this season and five times in his career.
Giordan Watson’s 52 steals this season now tie for fifth on CMU’s single-season chart with Dan Roundfield’s 1974 total.
The Chippewas forced 22 turnovers. CMU is 9-2 this season when forcing 20 or more by the opponent.
The Chippewas used their 17th different starting lineup of the season Giordan Watson, Jordan Bitzer, Jeremy Allen, Chris Kellermann and Marcus Van.
CMU needs to win one of its final two games for a .500 record in MAC play. It would mark CMU’s first .500 MAC season since the championship year of 2003 (14-4).
With three more steals, Giordan Watson will become the only active NCAA Division I player with 1,500 points, 400 assists and 200 steals. Virginia’s Sean Singletary is also close, entering the weekend with 1,899 points, 532 assists and 187 steals.
Giordan Watson needs one three-pointer to move into CMU’s single season top 10.
Saturday’s game marked the 11th time this season that a player has come off the bench to lead CMU in scoring, including three of the last four games.
Marko Spica’s 7-for-7 performance from the line marked the most free throw makes in a game this season by a Chippewa without a miss.
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