Central Michigan University Athletics
Saturday, December 20
DeKalb, Ill./Convocation Center
3:00 PM ET/2:00 PM CT
Central Michigan University
4-8,0-1MAC
73
at
74
Northern Illinois
5-7,1-0MAC
1
2
F
Central Mich.
44
29
73
NIU
27
47
74
Team Stats
CMU
NIU
FG%
.500
.478
3FG%
.286
.263
FT%
.538
.735
RB
30
31
TO
13
16
STL
8
7
Game Leaders
Pts
18
FGM
7
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
18
FGM
8
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
14
FGM
5
3FGM
4
FTM
0
Pts
9
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballC
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
Photo by: Lauren Verellen
Chippewas Drop MAC Opener 74-73 at NIU on Buzzer Beater
12/20/2025 7:16:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Northern Illinois rallies from 20-point deficit to claim MAC opener; Nick Mullen and Nathan Claerbaut both score 18 points and grab seven rebounds to lead Chippewas in loss.
DEKALB, Ill.—Taj Walters scored on a tipin at the buzzer as Northern Illinois overcame a 20-point second half deficit to register a 74-73 home victory over the Central Michigan men's basketball team on Saturday at the NIU Convocation Center. The contest marked the start of Mid-American Conference play for both teams.
The loss drops Central Michigan to 0-1 in the MAC and 4-8 overall, while Northern Illinois improves to 1-0 in the MAC and 5-7 overall. Next up, Central Michigan plays at Wisconsin on Monday, Dec. 22 at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT then takes a seven-day break for the holidays. The Chippewas return home on Dec. 30 for a league contest against Ohio at 3 p.m. at McGuirk Arena.
Led by 18 points from Dylan Ducommun, 14 from Gustav Winther, and 13 from Walters, Northern Illinois battled all the way back from a 20-point deficit. Central Michigan held its largest lead of the game, 54-34 with 14:30 to play, but NIU outscored the Chippewas 40-19 the rest of the way. The Huskies gradually cut the lead by getting to the free throw line as the Huskies drew a total of 23 total fouls and shot 34 free throws (25 made) to Central Michigan's 13.
Trailing 73-66, the Huskies outscored Central Michigan 8-0 over the game's final 1:53 to claim the win. Winther started the 8-0 run with two free throws with 1:32 to play. Ducommun hit a jumper with 48 seconds to play, Ducommum was then fouled and hit two free throws with 12 seconds to pull NIU within one point 73-72. After Central Michigan missed a free throw with six seconds left, Northern Illinois grabbed the rebound and raced down the floor where Ducommun missed a layup, but Walters was there and followed with his tipin at the buzzer.
In the last 3:56, Central Michigan was outscored 10-3, missed four free throws, went 1-5 from the floor, and committed three fouls.
"For the win, we had a lot of chances," Central Michigan head coach Andy Bronkema said. "We had a chance to ice the game at the free throw line. We didn't do that. We made few other mistakes at the end. We need to learn how to close out a game. In the first half, we proved we could play on the road in the opener. You could just feel it. You could feel the guys clam up at the end and be a little nervous to make the next right play. You don't want that for them, so you try to put some things in that they can be successful at. There were a few big plays in there. We took the foot off the gas, got worried and we were trying to hang on. I hate to learn that lesson, it's painful, but here we are."
The loss was heartbreaking because Central Michigan played well enough to win. The Chippewas shot 50 percent (30-60) from the floor and dished out 20 assists on 30 field goals. Central Michigan was led by Nick Mullen and Nathan Claerbaut who both scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Mullen, who scored 16 of his career-high 18 points in the first half, converted a career-high 7-12 field goals and dished out three assists. Claerbaut hit 8-14 field goals. Logan McIntire came off the bench to score 14 points on 4-7 3-point shooting. Phat Phat Brooks dished out a career-high seven assists and added nine points.
Central Michigan played a dominant first half as it built a 17-point halftime lead (44-27). In the first half alone, the Chippewas shot 53.1 percent (17-32) from the floor and outrebounded the host Huskies 19-9. Mullen scored 16 points (6-8 FG) and grabbed six rebounds in the first 20 minutes alone.
The Chippewas outscored NIU 17-3 over an eight-minute span and used a 10-0 run to take control. With a 17-13 lead, Nathan Claerbaut scored on a layup followed by Phat Phat Brooks layup. Logan McIntire hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key and then Mullen hit a 3-pointer for a 27-13 lead with 8:09 to play in the first half.
"My guess is there will be a couple more situations like this moving forward," Bronkema said. "Our guys played hard, they played well enough to win, but we took the foot off the gas. It's a learning process. We didn't close the game out. There were too many plays to be made that were gut-wrenching. A lot of weird things in a row. What a hearbreaker, but we've got to bounce back at Wisconsin."
Central Michigan started Phat Phat Brooks, Tamario Adley, and Jaxson Whitaker at guard, Nick Mullen at forward, and Nathan Claerbaut at center. Whitaker made his first career start.
The loss drops Central Michigan to 0-1 in the MAC and 4-8 overall, while Northern Illinois improves to 1-0 in the MAC and 5-7 overall. Next up, Central Michigan plays at Wisconsin on Monday, Dec. 22 at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT then takes a seven-day break for the holidays. The Chippewas return home on Dec. 30 for a league contest against Ohio at 3 p.m. at McGuirk Arena.
Led by 18 points from Dylan Ducommun, 14 from Gustav Winther, and 13 from Walters, Northern Illinois battled all the way back from a 20-point deficit. Central Michigan held its largest lead of the game, 54-34 with 14:30 to play, but NIU outscored the Chippewas 40-19 the rest of the way. The Huskies gradually cut the lead by getting to the free throw line as the Huskies drew a total of 23 total fouls and shot 34 free throws (25 made) to Central Michigan's 13.
Trailing 73-66, the Huskies outscored Central Michigan 8-0 over the game's final 1:53 to claim the win. Winther started the 8-0 run with two free throws with 1:32 to play. Ducommun hit a jumper with 48 seconds to play, Ducommum was then fouled and hit two free throws with 12 seconds to pull NIU within one point 73-72. After Central Michigan missed a free throw with six seconds left, Northern Illinois grabbed the rebound and raced down the floor where Ducommun missed a layup, but Walters was there and followed with his tipin at the buzzer.
In the last 3:56, Central Michigan was outscored 10-3, missed four free throws, went 1-5 from the floor, and committed three fouls.
"For the win, we had a lot of chances," Central Michigan head coach Andy Bronkema said. "We had a chance to ice the game at the free throw line. We didn't do that. We made few other mistakes at the end. We need to learn how to close out a game. In the first half, we proved we could play on the road in the opener. You could just feel it. You could feel the guys clam up at the end and be a little nervous to make the next right play. You don't want that for them, so you try to put some things in that they can be successful at. There were a few big plays in there. We took the foot off the gas, got worried and we were trying to hang on. I hate to learn that lesson, it's painful, but here we are."
The loss was heartbreaking because Central Michigan played well enough to win. The Chippewas shot 50 percent (30-60) from the floor and dished out 20 assists on 30 field goals. Central Michigan was led by Nick Mullen and Nathan Claerbaut who both scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds. Mullen, who scored 16 of his career-high 18 points in the first half, converted a career-high 7-12 field goals and dished out three assists. Claerbaut hit 8-14 field goals. Logan McIntire came off the bench to score 14 points on 4-7 3-point shooting. Phat Phat Brooks dished out a career-high seven assists and added nine points.
Central Michigan played a dominant first half as it built a 17-point halftime lead (44-27). In the first half alone, the Chippewas shot 53.1 percent (17-32) from the floor and outrebounded the host Huskies 19-9. Mullen scored 16 points (6-8 FG) and grabbed six rebounds in the first 20 minutes alone.
The Chippewas outscored NIU 17-3 over an eight-minute span and used a 10-0 run to take control. With a 17-13 lead, Nathan Claerbaut scored on a layup followed by Phat Phat Brooks layup. Logan McIntire hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key and then Mullen hit a 3-pointer for a 27-13 lead with 8:09 to play in the first half.
"My guess is there will be a couple more situations like this moving forward," Bronkema said. "Our guys played hard, they played well enough to win, but we took the foot off the gas. It's a learning process. We didn't close the game out. There were too many plays to be made that were gut-wrenching. A lot of weird things in a row. What a hearbreaker, but we've got to bounce back at Wisconsin."
Central Michigan started Phat Phat Brooks, Tamario Adley, and Jaxson Whitaker at guard, Nick Mullen at forward, and Nathan Claerbaut at center. Whitaker made his first career start.
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